Kautilya's Arthashastra 8.4.5

8.4.5

"vyādhidurbhikṣayor vyādhiḥ pretavyādhitopasṛṣṭaparicārakavyāyāmoparodhena karmāṇy upahanti, durbhikṣaṃ punar akarmopaghāti hiraṇyapaśukaradāyi ca" ity ācāryāḥ //

My teacher says that of pestilence and famine, pestilence brings all kinds of business to a stop by causing obstruction to work on account of disease and death among men and owing to the flight of servants, whereas famine stops no work, but is productive of gold, cattle and taxes.