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Abstract

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production, addressing a critical gap in existing research that has largely focused on sectors such as tourism, aviation, and healthcare. By analyzing production trends of six key crops -barley, corn, rice, wheat, soybean, and sunflowerseed- across leading agricultural economies(Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union), this research provides empirical insights into how the pandemic is disrupting food systems. Using Chow’s structural break-point test, the study identifies substantial variations in production outcomes, which are shaped by differences in agricultural infrastructure, policy responses, supply chain stability, and access to key inputs. The findings of this study reveal that the Chow test confirms statistically significant disruptions in the production of these products. Sunflowerseed, rice, wheat, and corn have been identified as crops that have been consistently affected in almost all regions. In China and Türkiye, soybean production demonstrated particular resilience, while the crop was considerably affected in others. The pandemic has highlighted the necessity to strengthen agricultural sectors worldwide against future crises, including climate change, water scarcity, economic shocks and geopolitical tensions, in the context of the benefits of digital technologies and precision agriculture that demand reduced labor.

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