The Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports is pushing the world to the verge of the global food crisis. How can we prevent it? We asked Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Trade Representative of Ukraine. Key points – in our brief, #UkraineWorldAnalysis 1/11
#Ukraine is a major exporter of agricultural products in the global market. It provides annually 50% of international trade in sunflower oil, 25% – in corn, 10% – in wheat. Ukraine is also an important exporter of barley, soybean, grist, and other agricultural products 2/11
400 mln people around the globe are dependent on the Ukrainian agricultural products, which are exported to #Turkey, #Egypt and other states of Sub-Saharan #Africa, #Arab states of the Persian Gulf, and other countries 3/11
#Ukraine has well developed logistics for agricultural exports, which can not be easily replaced by other trade routes. Ukrainian sea ports are crucial for the global agricultural market: four major Ukrainian ports handle 130 mln tons of exports and imports annually 4/11
#Russian blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports is pushing the world to the verge of the global food crisis. If the Russian blockade is not lifted, it will cause food shortage and price rises around the globe which will impact 400 mln people, especially in #Africa 5/11
Ukraine is now exporting its agricultural products through the western borders by trains, trucks and barges. The EU is helping Ukraine by simplifying the formal procedures 6/11
Yet, the carrying capacity of the current trade routes, estimated at 24 mln tons per year, is insufficient. To ensure global food security, it must be increased at least three times, which is impossible without lifting the #Russian blockade of Ukrainian seaports 7/11
Ukrainian grain warehouses will be filled by the autumn. If logistics are not restored, Ukrainian farmers will not be able to work because the warehouses are filled. This will break the production cycle: not only food logistics, but also food production will be stopped 8/11
The food security crisis, caused by Russia, is a global problem and must be approached by the international community. Ukraine can not solve the crisis alone: if Ukraine eases military fortification of its ports, it will expose them to Russian attack 9/11
A way to ensure logistics of Ukrainian agricultural exports is to involve third party states which will guarantee the safety of maritime trade routes from Ukrainian sea ports to the Bosporus 10/11
Similar operations were conducted by several states in the Gulf of Aden in 2008-2016 to ensure safety of trade vessels which were often attacked by pirates 11/11
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