That is why we are working on it. Don't forget that the whole trade system just got exchanged. Stuff like the black market, etc. is still unfinished.
Food should not be balanced around the purpose of giving traders something to do, and to hell with the effect it has on realms.
Trading for the sake of trading should be kept for a separate resource (the "luxury" or "goods" resource), unless starvation is removed altogether and that regions without food automatically go to sustenance farming or something to that effect.
Balancing food around trade makes as much sense (and fun) as making region production plummet after a week without bureau work or region morale plummet after a week without preaching. Traders, like priests, are specialty classes that no realms should require to remain competitive, despite their presence being potentially quite beneficial.
