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Commodity Markets sustain the economy

By: Sabrina Clarke

· Sustainability

Unpopular Opinion: Commodity Markets sustain the economy.

Whenever markets are referred to, the usual conversation is about the 'first or secondary markets', i.e. exchange-traded securities or stock exchanges. There is a lot of emphasis on how the 'markets' respond from elections to other events. For me, they aren't the most critical to look at a sustainable economy as we move into a difficult transition; it is the Commodity Market.

The Commodity Market (raw, agricultural materials etc.) is the rare market that inextricably links everyone; what is happening in the marketplaces, for example, in Liberia, and other places like it impact the supply chain, which has disrupted provisions and contributes to the cost of living and inflation prices. Russia, Ukraine and energy prices are other examples of this.

This interests me from a social and economic sustainability perspective (my niche) because the suppliers typically at the front line of the commodity value chain are small/micro business owners. If there is no sustainable plan for them to thrive, the knock-on effect is we don't either.