text: decreasing prod-uction volumes and the possible breakdom of ttre organization ofIrorfd connerce and- conmunications. \.{hen there are serious problems in both these resFects, theT vou-Id soon have an inpact on everl'day conditions for nost FeoDle on the globe. 24l^ l''lost critical uould be the world food sulply: in many developinfi countries, famine is an ever-lrrpsent threat even under stablF and r..pr'Frrrl oonriil-.innc nnd a large and continuous international grains trade is needed to prevent starvation. 27/ In ad.dition, mod.ern agriculture increasingly uses input s from nany differeiT branches of industry. Among these are various kinds of tcols and machinery as well as pesticides and herbicides, but above all fertilizers from the chemical industry rn'hich - together with energy - are required. continuously and are absolutely necessary if 1and. resources are limited. 2l+2. Ttre wor}d food situation some time after the var could be crudely assessed. by recalling that wheat is the most irrrportant grain - and consequently foodstuff -in international- trade. The importance of the North American exports is we]1 knovn. During 1979, for instance, the United States alone exported about 37 rnil-lion tons of wheat, vhich is almost half the world trade in wheat. In addition the United States and Canada have about l+0 miftion tons of the wheat stocks and if they vere unavailable after a nuclear l,rar the fiorld food situation vould become disastrous in a very short time. This could mean that famine nould spread to hundreds of rrillions of people. )7 / T:iho f ^t-al nr^rl,r.tinn nf orqine in tha Tr^r] d ic enli'.r'1 ,-nt i^ eholrh ?65 kp !vvqr JJr vsqr v 4 her^ nFrsnr and vpar l.l}i'1 e the r.'rinimum subsistence l-eve1 is somelthe"e between 200 and 25A kS, o unfess ccnFlexrentary diet is availabl-e, Hovever, the annual production per capita is very different in different reqions, running from a
analysis: The text discusses the potential consequences of a nuclear war on the world's food supply, highlighting the importance of international grains trade and the reliance on fertilizers from the chemical industry. It also mentions the critical role of North American exports, particularly from the United States and Canada, in maintaining global food security. Given the focus on agriculture, food supply, and international trade, it seems likely that the text is related to the consequences of a nuclear war on the global economy and human well-being.