A representative of the United Nations World Food Program warned on Sunday that Russia is blocking close to 4.5 million tons in grain exports from Ukraine, The Guardian reported.
Martin Frick told German news outlet dpa that the abrupt stoppage could initiate a global food crisis and that he is working to allow the supply to go forward.
“Foodstuffs have to reach those in Ukraine who are trapped and in need. But at the same time, there is the need to provide other parts of the world with foodstuffs they are expecting from Ukraine in order to alleviate a global food crisis,” Frick said.
“Right now, we must concern ourselves with the fact that there are some people who will starve, that there are countries which will be unable to afford grain for their people, and that this whole war situation could lead to a global hunger crisis,” he continued.
In April, the U.N. wrote that Ukraine and Russia combined have grown roughly 30% of global wheat exports and 20% of corn exports over the past three years.
“Driven by soaring wheat and coarse grain prices – largely as a result of the war in Ukraine – the FAO Cereal Price Index was 17.1 per cent higher in March than it was just a month earlier,” the organization said.
The group also connected a 23.2% increase in the price of vegetable oil, of which Ukraine is the largest exporter, to the ongoing invasion.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said in late March during a U.N. Security Council meeting that the Kremlin was preventing approximately 94 ships carrying food intended for the world market from leaving port, according to Anadolu Agency.
"Already, food prices are skyrocketing in low- and in middle-income countries as Russia chokes off Ukrainian exports," Sherman said at the time.
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