Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to damage its grain crop by targeting fields and warehouses in the country’s south.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Ukraine reported on Monday that grain exports in the first seven days of July, the first month of the new 2022-2023 season, fell by 30% year on year to 402 thousand tons. Grain exports for the 2021-2022 season ending June 30 are up 8.5% to 48.5 million tonnes on strong shipments ahead of Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Grain exports from Ukraine have fallen sharply since the start of the war because the country’s Black Sea ports, the main shipping route, have been largely closed, pushing up global food prices and raising concerns about grain shortages in Africa and the Middle East. Ministry data showed that exports in July included 311,000 tons of corn, 71,000 tons of wheat and 17,000 tons of barley.
Earlier, the government said Ukraine could harvest at least 50 million tons of grain this year, compared to a record 86 million tons in 2021 due to loss of land due to advances by Russian troops and reduced crop yields. Ukraine seeks to export grain to the European Union, despite the lack of local supplies.
NASA researchers believe that Russia controls 22% of Ukraine’s agricultural land, and that the war is jeopardizing this summer’s harvest, which could exacerbate the global food crisis.
