The grain processing industry in Germany warns of supply bottlenecks if there is no supply of Russian gas.
"If the companies in the grain, milling and starch industries stand still, we run into a precarious situation," warned the industry association VGMS on Thursday.
"Then shelves remain permanently empty: Because important staple foods - oatmeal, pasta, muesli - are missing." Packaging for food made with starch would also be affected.
And that after a very short time.
The entire industry must therefore be primarily supplied with gas.
"Our companies already need planning security so that they are continuously supplied with gas," demanded VGMS Managing Director Peter Haarbeck.
According to their own statements, the food industry is the second-largest consumer of natural gas in German industry with a share of twelve percent.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck announced the early warning level of the so-called gas emergency plan on Wednesday.
This does not bring any restrictions for the economy and consumers.
Only in the third and last emergency level would industry in particular have to reckon with government restrictions.
The background to this is Russia's announcement that it would only deliver gas and oil against payment in rubles as a reaction to western sanctions because of the invasion of Ukraine.
There were signals from Moscow that could indicate that a delivery stop is not imminent.
Last year, 55 percent of German gas imports came from Russia.
575 companies are organized in the VGMS.
According to the association, around 15 million tons of agricultural raw materials are processed in the companies, including wheat, rye, oats, durum wheat, corn, rice and starch potatoes.