The United States, the European Union, and 20 other members of the World Trade Organization have agreed to keep food and agricultural trade open, despite restrictions to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, Reuters reported.

In a joint statement, WTO members, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Japan, stated that some countries impose export restrictions, despite lessons learned from the past. “The world’s poor, including agricultural workers, would bear the brunt of increased export restrictions,” the statement said.

India's largest rice exporter suspended exports due to labor shortages and logistics problems. The third largest exporter, Vietnam, has also limited exports.

African countries, where many people spend more than half their income on food, are among the most vulnerable to disruptions in staple food supplies.

The WTO Group, which accounts for 63% of world exports of agricultural and agri-food products and 55% of imports, said it is committed not to impose export restrictions on these products and to exercise restraint in creating domestic food supplies.

The group also committed itself to ensuring that supply chains remained open and that emergency measures were targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. Members also agreed to discuss how to improve WTO preparedness for regional and international pandemics.

The other signatories are Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malawi, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uruguay.