Ukraine’s food supply chains continue to collapse, and key infrastructure such as bridges and trains are destroyed by bombs, leading to a global food crisis..
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Russian war on Ukraine, two of the world’s largest crop producers, has already begun to affect crop production on farmland, leading to declining exports. Wheat, corn and cooking oil, as well as countries dependent on Ukraine will be adversely affected.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Ukraine produces 10% of global wheat exports, 14% of corn exports and half of the world’s sunflower oil..
In just three weeks, the war has hit Ukraine’s agricultural sector hard, raising prices and cutting global supplies. Most of the exports go to developing countries, which are already struggling with rising food prices..
As the planting season of wheat and maize already on farmland approaches, many farmers are suffering from shortages of fertilizers and chemicals needed for agriculture and fuel shortages for tractors and farm equipment..
Ukrainian farmer Igor Borisov has been trapped in a warehouse behind the Russian battle lines with about 2,000 tons of corn since the fall harvest. Like many farmers across Ukraine, this year’s harvest is in jeopardy.
Borisov said he and other farmers should start planting corn, sunflower and barley in April and May, as they may not be able to do so now due to the war in Ukraine, and the impact on food and prices will be felt around. The world..
He added: “We hope to sow, we want to sow, but the situation is unpredictable and nothing can be expected with Vladimir Putin (Russian President).”“.
Borisov Farm is located near the Russian border, in an area captured on the first day of the war.“.
The newspaper also noted that farm machinery and equipment on other farms had been damaged as a result of the military operation, with some abandoning farming and joining the struggle or fleeing Ukraine, abandoning farms..
The Russian naval siege and fighting around Ukrainian ports have halted shipping operations and weakened the means of transporting cargo. According to the newspaper, wheat prices have reached record highs due to the impact of the wars on Ukrainian and Russian exports..
Ukraine is the fourth and fifth largest exporter of corn and wheat in the world, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Some exports will be diverted through the western borders, which will lead to shipping costs and higher prices..
The newspaper report also pointed out that the impact of the agricultural export crisis on the supply of animal feed will also affect the meat, milk, dairy and cheese products sector..
Ukraine has 41 million hectares of agricultural land, covering 70% of the area, and agriculture is the “largest part” of the Ukrainian economy, accounting for 14% of GDP in the third quarter of last year..
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