Will COVID-19 affect food supply in distribution centers of Brazilian regions affected by the pandemic?

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is great concern about the consequences of COVID-19 on health and also on food supply globally. Ceasas are important food distribution centers in Brazil that have great economic importance in Brazilian agribusiness. SCOPE AND APPROACH: In this work, the price of fruits and vegetables sold in four Ceasas in different regions affected by COVID-19 in the first quarter of 2020 were evaluated, with the aim of verifying the possible effects of the pandemic on food supply chains. Data were collected from the institutions' websites and subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey's test (p ≤ 0.05), principal component analysis and Cluster analysis (Euclidean distance). KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: The regions affected by COVID-19 showed great variations in the prices of products sold in the studied Ceasas. Statistical analysis showed that food prices were dependent on the regions and the period in which they were traded. In general, the month of March proved to have the greatest impact on the consumer's pocket. The strengthening of Ceasas as platforms for supplying food from short supply chains is essential to guarantee internal food security during crises such as that caused by the new coronavirus.