Wheat crisis triggered by war in Ukraine –
Ukraine and Russia account for one third of world exports of wheat and barley. Since the invasion by Moscow on February 24, Ukraine’s ports have been blocked and civilian infrastructure and grain silos have been destroyed. It is estimated that the price of the cereal has increased by about 40% since the beginning of the year.
The decision of the Indian government –
After the decisions already taken by other nations, India’s has also arrived, in response to “an increase in global wheat prices that has jeopardized the food security of India and of neighboring and vulnerable countries”. The country consumes most of the wheat it produces, but it set a goal of exporting 10 million tons of wheat in 2022-23. Much of this would go to other developing nations such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. The idea of the Indian government is therefore to prevent wheat from going “irregularly to countries where it could simply be accumulated or not meet the food needs of vulnerable countries”, reads a note from the Agriculture Ministry.
Foreign Minister Germany: “Russia has unleashed the wheat war” –
According to the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Barbock, “Russia has intentionally started a grain war, deliveries are not possible and prices are going up, with the risk of famine, it is not collateral damage, it is an intentional strategy. Russia is going up. creating the basis for new crises so that international cooperation can be reduced “.
The proposal: “To take Ukrainian wheat by train to the Baltic ports” –
Minister Baerbock then explained that, in order to try to circumvent the Russian blockade on the export of Ukrainian wheat by ship, the possibility of transporting it by train to the Baltic ports is being studied. “Problems with the different rail widths have ruled out large-scale transport through Romania. So now it is being considered whether it is possible to get the train to the Baltic ports, for export. With rail transport, it is clear that you get a lot less grain for export, but every tonne delivered can help keep the food crisis in check. Up to now some have been transported by train, mostly through Romania, but it has created a package of bottle, because Ukraine and Romania have different rail exchanges ”.
Coldiretti: rice price + 21% –
The alarm was also raised by Coldiretti, which also reported a critical issue on the price of rice: “It flies internationally where it has recorded a 21% jump in the last year due to the collapse in grain shipments caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine after India also blocked wheat exports. World rice consumption in 2022 will reach the record of the last ten years in 2022 with almost 521 million tons, an increase of over 9 million compared to the year before ” .
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