Chinese authorities have told families to keep daily necessities in stock in case of emergencies, after COVID-19 outbreaks and unusually heavy rains caused a surge in vegetable prices and raised concerns about supply shortages. The Ministry of Commerce said local authorities should buy vegetables that can be stored well ahead of winter and also strengthen emergency delivery networks according to a statement released on Nov.2. Households are also encouraged to stock up on daily necessities in advance. The lack of explanation about the directive stirred concerns on social media sites inside China. Some think it may have been triggered by heightened tensions with Taiwan, while others said people were rushing to stock up on rice, cooking oil, and salt. “As soon as this news came out, all the old people near me went crazy panic buying in the supermarket,” wrote one user on China’s Twitter-like Weibo. Local media has also recently …