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Salt shortages were catastrophic.
The Failed Preservation:
Without adequate salt, autumn meat slaughtering became crisis—the meat could not be preserved, forcing immediate consumption (impossible for large quantities) or accepting massive waste as meat rotted.
The Trade Disruption:
Warfare, natural disasters, or political conflicts could disrupt salt trade routes—regions dependent on imported salt faced sudden shortages, threatening survival.
The Hoarding:
Salt’s critical importance meant shortages triggered hoarding—those with access stockpiled, prices spiked, and the poor suffered most acutely. Salt riots were not unknown, as desperate populations demanded access to life-sustaining resource.
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