From Malaysia to India, Export Bans on Chicken, Wheat, Sugar affect Asia

· The recent moves by Asian governments to save their own food supplies have sent already inflated food prices soaring across the region amid the Ukraine war

· While protectionism lowers the threat of civil unrest, analysts say it may be ineffective in keeping prices of food staples low and could even hurt producers as buyers diversify

Asia has been slammed by a wave of protectionism in recent months, with countries enacting food export restrictions on items from palm oil to wheat, sugar and chicken.

The disruptions have sent already inflated food prices soaring, with Singapore’s food price increase in April hitting levels not seen since March 2009 and Malaysians saying the once affordable everyday chicken is now a weekly luxury.

Countries with export controls say the restrictions have been necessary to safeguard supplies for their own populations.