UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Russia has not provided the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) with any free grain, according to WFP deputy chief Carl Skau. This statement comes almost two weeks after Moscow withdrew from a deal that permitted the safe export of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea.
Ukrainian grain is a major food aid source for the United Nations. Skau informed reporters, “We have not been in talks about any free grain so far. We have not been approached for any such discussion.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during a summit in St Petersburg on Thursday that Moscow is fully capable of replacing Ukrainian grain exports to Africa. He further stated that he plans to gift tens of thousands of tons of grain to six countries within a few months.
Both Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s largest grain exporters, and any disruption in their exports could drive up global food prices.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned on Thursday that a few donations would not suffice to counteract the severe impact of the termination of the Black Sea grain deal.
The Black Sea export pact enabled the WFP to procure and ship 725,000 tonnes of grain to Afghanistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen over the past year. The pact allowed the WFP to purchase 80% of its wheat grain from Ukraine this year, up from 50% in 2021 and 2022.
Overall, Ukraine exported nearly 33 million tonnes of grain under the deal, which aimed to address a global food crisis exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“The impact on our operations will mean that we have to seek alternatives, which could potentially be more expensive and will certainly take longer,” said Skau. “One of the reasons why Ukraine has been such an important source for us is its proximity to many of our operations.”
Since Russia’s withdrawal from the pact on July 17, global wheat prices have risen by about 9%. The agreement was brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in July 2022. Russia has also targeted Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure along the Black Sea and Danube River. Despite the increase, prices are still only half of the record high reached in early March 2022.
“When it comes to our procurement, we always prioritize the cheapest and fastest options to reach our beneficiaries, and that principle will guide us,” stated Skau.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Leslie Adler)
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