This rule works in any environment where traders trade freely. Historically this has lead to catastrophes such as the Irish potato famine where the price of locally produced food exceeded what locals could pay. Leading to a country that had millions starving while exporting enough food to feed the country.
For this and various other temporary phenomenon governments set limits on market economies to prevent outcomes pathologically opposed to the wellbeing of residents. These limits include export controls and subsidies on food and other basic necessities. It absolutely makes sense for a country not to suddenly shift its income to the benefit of external commodity holders due to a sudden price jump in the commodity due to supply chain issues. Not doing so could destroy “higher value” “finished product” industries by making them uncompetitive.
If a large supply chain issue hits a critical necessity you would absolutely expect countries to start triggering their hoarding policies making the issue worse. An economic zone not planning for such a disruption to occur in the future is equivalent to a bet that such disruptions will never occur.
> If a large supply chain issue hits a critical necessity you would absolutely expect countries to start triggering their hoarding policies making the issue worse.
The PPE shortage of 2020 demonstrated very clearly how quickly free-market economics gets thrown overboard in a serious crisis.
For this and various other temporary phenomenon governments set limits on market economies to prevent outcomes pathologically opposed to the wellbeing of residents. These limits include export controls and subsidies on food and other basic necessities. It absolutely makes sense for a country not to suddenly shift its income to the benefit of external commodity holders due to a sudden price jump in the commodity due to supply chain issues. Not doing so could destroy “higher value” “finished product” industries by making them uncompetitive.
If a large supply chain issue hits a critical necessity you would absolutely expect countries to start triggering their hoarding policies making the issue worse. An economic zone not planning for such a disruption to occur in the future is equivalent to a bet that such disruptions will never occur.