That food article posted by VHF, while not directly relevant to our board is a necessary read.
Silver we can do without for a few days but not food.
A panicky world due to a shortage of food would cause repercussions in all sectors of global systems.
China hoarding rice and not supplying Philipines is a normal reaction. Countries just as people prepare for the worst that may or may not come. Just on the whim of a rumour hoarding raises its horns to a larger extent than would normally be.
And of course there is the profit motive, withhold until price is at a breaking point.
We stock investors should be very familiar with that scenario.

Just yesterday I was at a bread bakery and a European style delicatessen store in front. (I prefer european rye bread over american white.) Talked to the owner about bread prices. She said their grain prices rose by about 50% in the last few months. On a visit a month ago I suggested that they raise the bread price ten percent, but she was saying that they hope not to. Well this time I got a surprise, they raised the price by 25%. This is a direct reaction for not raising it a smaller amount earlier.
Her explanation is - We had to. Now what could happen in a month or three. Another 25%? Again her explanation is not so much the grain itself as the contribution of the price of oil for production and transportation. Consider Saudi Arabia raising the price of its oil only to get it back in the form of food imports. So another oil price increase, and so on.

Such is the reaction to prices going out of control. Now apply that to the present silver shortage. Notice some similarity? Of coure we do not eat silver nor need it for life, BUT.
Cheers.