More than 4 million tons of grain stuck in Odessa raises concerns

A report released by the United Nations’ World Food Program says a large amount of food is being trapped due to fighting affecting land and sea routes in the region.

Food prices around the world have risen more than 12 percent since 1990, according to United Nations reports, the most recent of which comes amid a complicated war in Ukraine.

Before the conflict, Ukraine was one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of wheat and corn. A lot of countries depend on Kiev’s supplies.

Affected by the war, several countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia could see famine raging.

Another problem is that the grain stored in Odessa is likely to spoil in the near future if not handled promptly.

Mykoa Solskyi, Ukraine’s agriculture minister, said: “The grain has not been unloaded and is still on board. There are 57 ships with tons of grain and oilseeds.”

Mr. Solskyi emphasized that depending on the condition of the hold of the ships, the grain will spoil after about 3 months.

Before the war, Ukraine exported up to 6 million tons of grains and oilseeds per month, while in March 2022, exports dropped to 200,000 tons.

“Even if the conflict miraculously ends tomorrow, inflation will still last another three to five years,” Mr. Solskyi added.

In the UK, the impact of the grain being stuck is also being felt increasingly, with supermarkets and shops forced to raise prices in response to scarcity and higher supply prices.

According to the latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), inflation in the UK has caused the average price of food and non-alcoholic beverages to increase by 6.7%.

The price of a slice of white bread has increased by 8.5% in the past six months, from £1.06 in October 2021 to £1.15 in April 2022.

As the war enters its fourth month, the focus of the conflict has shifted to eastern and southern Ukraine. Both Mariupol and Odessa are important cities for Ukrainian agriculture, and if Russia takes control of these two regions, the global food supply is expected to continue to struggle in the future.