News Analysis Last November, a wave of panic buying and hoarding was spurred by a message from China’s Ministry of Commerce, instructing local governments to stabilize food supply and prices. Now, as the war in Ukraine is threatening wheat and fertilizer exports, China braces for a food crisis, while Americans can expect higher prices at the grocery store. Countries around the world rely on grain from Ukraine. Ukraine exports 15 percent of the world’s grain, 80 percent of its sunflower oil, and is the fourth largest exporter of maize. The fighting in Ukraine is separating the producers from the Black Sea coastline, preventing exports. Hunger is already being felt in East Africa and is expected to spread to other nations. Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria have already begun to experience a shortage of wheat. Egypt is the world’s largest importer of wheat, obtaining 60 percent from Russia and 40 percent from …