• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Russia

Significant Growth in Russian Wheat Exports Under Food Pact

  • "Much work remains to be done. Food prices remain too high and access to fertilizer remains too limited," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Dec. 19, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/@UNAMAnews

Published 19 December 2022
Opinion

Russian wheat exports rose threefold following the signing of the grain agreement last July, UN Secretary General António Guterres said.

According to Guterres at a press conference, the possibility of increasing the number of ports used under the Black Sea Grain Initiative could be considered at some point in the current context.

RELATED:
Russia Warns of Increased US Presence in Ukraine

The United Nations (UN) Secretary General said the grain initiative has also involved the shipment of more than 14 million tons of Ukrainian grain and other food products from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Guterres referred to wheat reaching developing countries. In this regard, he said that under the grain initiative, the World Food Program has supplied about 380 000 tons of wheat "to support ongoing humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen." 

The Secretary General welcomed the 15 percent drop in the price index experienced in the last eight months. Guterres said that such a reduction has an impact on preventing an increase in extreme poverty levels worldwide.

However, Guterres warned of remaining challenges to global food security. "Much work remains to be done. Food prices remain too high, and access to fertilizer remains too limited." 

The Secretary General said that his continued efforts to increase exports will be aimed at securing "exemptions for food and fertilizers under various sanctions regimes, removing indirect barriers and achieving more effective implementation of the Black Sea Grains Initiative."

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, extended from last November 17 for 120 days, was the result of an agreement reached between Russia, Türkiye and the UN. It involved the release of grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine in the midst of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.