Farmers are facing mounting costs and delays to access agricultural chemicals, which could cause a flow-on effect of high prices for consumers.
Most of what is grown in New Zealand is exported, with demand for food increasing in Northern Hemisphere markets coming out of lockdown.
At the same time, production of the chemicals used by farmers in New Zealand is being cut in China, which is grappling with issues of its own.
Amid all this, global supply chains are under extreme strain, with ports around the world clogged up.
A switch to organic farming may not help either, with inputs for that kind of farming also rising rapidly in price.
Q+A reporter Whena Owen investigated how much the issue is affecting farmers, and how the effects will be felt in the video above.
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