The Agri-Food and Mountain Products Market: Insights beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

Food security is one of the main concerns in the context of a global crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The reduction in people’s mobility determined changes in consumers’ behavior and underlined the need for the re-organization of the food supply chains. This paper aims to summarize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global, Romanian and mountain food markets, as well as to discuss the mountain agriculture potential and the food democracy model. The trend in the post-pandemic era is heading toward the digitalization of agriculture and food distribution, with great attention on product sustainability. People are more and more aware of healthy food and the environmental impact of this sector. Many studies revealed the need for specific policies to counteract the effects of the pandemic on food quality and security and on the economic welfare of people. In the post-pandemic period in mountain areas, there is a need for the valorization of food products that originate from here since they have great health and financial potential. Supporting mountain agriculture could ensure the production of high-value products, which are generally preferred by consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the re-orientation of consumers towards local and organic foods. Future research regarding the efficiency of the programs and policies implemented in some mountain areas after the pandemic is necessary