Learn Swedish: Ju mer vi producerar, desto mindre är bristen. - The more we produce, the smaller the shortage is.

The ju half acts as a subordinate clause, so it keeps the standard subject-verb order (vi producerar). The desto half is a main clause. Because the comparative phrase desto mindre sits in the first position, the V2 rule (verb-second rule) forces the verb (är) to come before the subject (bristen).

Could I say dess mindre är bristen instead?

Yes! The phrases ju ... desto ... and ju ... dess ... mean exactly the same thing and work identically. You can use either word in the second half of the sentence.

Why are we using mer and mindre instead of fler and färre?

We use mer (more) and mindre (less) for uncountable concepts, like the general volume of production and the overall size of a shortage. If we were talking about countable objects, like more apples and fewer bananas, we would use fler and färre.

What noun is bristen based on?

It comes from the noun en brist, meaning a lack, shortage, or deficit. Here it has the definite suffix -en because the sentence refers to 'the' specific shortage.