Climate volatility is emerging as a structural threat to the world’s food supply, with 93% of companies in perishable supply chains reporting climate-related disruption in the past three years, according to DP World research. Nearly half were hit six times or more in that period.
“Climate volatility is reshaping how food moves across borders. The sector is feeling the pressure more often and with less warning,” says Alfred Whitman, global VP, perishables and agriculture, DP World. “Traditional supply routes are being upended, forcing producers to build resilience in real time. What’s needed now is earlier insight into risks, more predictable movement across regions and stronger cold chain infrastructure."
Key takeaways:
· Roughly one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted before it reaches consumers, equivalent to 1 billion meals every day.
· The study shows that climate shocks are compounding other pressures across perishable supply chains. Companies reported significant exposure to port congestion (93%), customs delays (88%) and technology failures (88%), all of which can shorten shelf life and increase spoilage.
· While 79% of companies surveyed believe they respond quickly to disruption, 94% admit that limited end-to-end visibility remains a persistent barrier. The result is a growing gap between perceived and actual resilience.
· More than half of companies (55%) lose up to a month of productivity in a disrupted year, while a third take over a month to recover from major events. These delays and losses cascade across the value chain, hitting margins and amplifying food waste.
“Across the industry, we’re seeing disruption escalate to senior leadership because the underlying systems were never designed for this level of instability. Our research makes clear there’s a widening gap between perceived resilience and actual performance. Closing that gap will define how well global food supply chains function in the decade ahead,” adds Beat Simon, chief operating officer, Logistics, DP World.
