Ukraine warns of the risk of 60 million tons of grain being trapped
The Ukrainian president also insisted that the Ukrainian government was not wasting time and was studying many other methods of exporting grain, either through rail transport or river ports.
“We are increasing our exports every day,” he said.
Ukraine is trying to find new routes to export grain stranded in the country due to the fighting.
It accuses the Russian navy of blocking ports in the Black Sea, while Moscow also says Ukraine sprays mines in the area, preventing cargo ships from entering and leaving.
Russia and Ukraine produce 30% of the global wheat supply.
The United Nations has warned that a lack of grain exports from Ukrainian ports could trigger a global food crisis in the next few months.
Zelensky warned that 60 million tons of grain could be stuck in Ukraine in the autumn if the country continues to be blocked from food exports.
“22 million tons of grain are trapped. We expect this number to rise to around 60 million tons in the fall. Then we will be in a really difficult situation,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in Kiev on July 4.
Zelensky added that he was working with the United Nations to find a way to establish a safe corridor that would allow Ukraine to export grain from ports in the Black Sea.
“As a food exporter, we are very concerned about the conditions for Ukrainian farmers to continue farming for next year’s crop. To do that, we need to export all the remaining grains, including barley, wheat, corn,” Zelensky said.
