If you've reached for cornstarch in the grocery aisles recently, you may have found much higher prices than usual — if you found any at all. Supply chain disruptions, a dwindling supply, and a surge in demand have all created the perfect storm for consumers, Chem Analyst News reported.

What's happening?

Prices are currently at a five-year high, and they don't appear to be slowing down. As Chem Analyst explained: "Adverse weather has impacted corn production, while rising industrial demand continues to strain supply. With these challenges persisting, no immediate relief is expected in the near term."

The crops in the American Midwest have suffered the most from extreme weather events. Both droughts and frosts have "devastated" the yields and led to a significant shortage in the anticipated supply, Chem Analyst explained. With Brazil's crops similarly affected — their planting was delayed by unusually heavy rains — the entire supply chain is now balancing precariously on a weak foundation.

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But even as the available supply plummets, demand is rising. This can be attributed mostly to both the food sector and the pharmaceutical industry, both of which need cornstarch for a wide variety of uses, from serving as a food thickening agent to acting as an ingredient in drug capsules.

Why are these changes so concerning?

Experts warn that what's currently happening to the cornstarch supply — and therefore its prices — serves as a warning for the future of other crops.

Human-driven pollution and its resulting planet-warming effect have meant a warming atmosphere over recent decades, which in turn has altered weather around the globe. And with increases in severe precipitation events — both rain and drought — affecting crop yields, as well as dramatic swings in temperatures, farmers are already feeling the impacts.

Similarly, the changes in temperatures and weather have allowed certain agricultural pests and diseases to flourish, which pose threats to crops as well.

What's being done to alleviate this situation?

When it comes to cornstarch, experts are predicting that prices will stabilize gradually over time as harvests improve. 

However, the pattern of weather and demand remains a threat to many crops. To address this, many scientists are experimenting with a variety of approaches. Some are looking at genetically modifying crops to become resistant to extreme weather conditions, from droughts to heat waves.

More broadly, governments and corporations around the globe will need to dramatically reduce their planet-warming pollution to avoid triggering even worse situations in the future.

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