Food stocks

The purpose of the food stocks is to guarantee emergency food supply to those in need during a mass evacuation and the availability of grain as the main raw material for the food processing industry in the case of serious disruptions in supply.

The current foods stocks of Estonia were established in the beginning of the 2000s and are maintained permanently as ready-to-eat goods and food products (canned goods, dry goods, cereal products, drinks, etc.). A large stockpile of grain is established as required based on a risk assessment. The Estonian Stockpiling Agency maintains a certain volume of grain stocks to ensure that it is prepared for smaller disruptions in supply and for crises.

The food stocks of the state are stored by Estonian companies that are contractual partners of AS Eesti Varude Keskus. They must have the agreed amount of food and drinks in their warehouses at any given time. In the event of a crisis, the state buys the stock from manufacturers and wholesalers.

According to assessments, Estonia’s level of food self-sufficiency is generally good. Our production plants, wholesale warehouses, and retail stores hold the most common groups of food products in quantities sufficient for ordinary consumption for several months. In addition, most Estonian families also have several days’ worth of food at home to cope with a crisis in the short term.