Black Sea Grain Initiative
Two-thirds of Ukraine grain exports flow through Danube ports
Ukrainian grain terminals on the Danube River have blossomed in importance during the war with Russia and now account for 65 percent of the nation's grain exports, said three agricultural economists at the farmdoc daily blog.
Russia benefits from throttling Ukrainian grain traffic
Russia's months-long drive to shut off Ukraine grain exports has produced both financial and diplomatic gains for President Putin, said a Washington think tank. "Securing ample and low-cost export routes for Ukrainian grain and increasing investments to rebuild Ukraine's agricultural sector are crucial to to defusing what has become one of Russia's most potent weapons in its war with Ukraine," said the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Food price index edges upward on fears of disrupted supplies
The FAO index of global commodity prices rose 1.3 percent during July, its second increase since April, reflecting the termination of the Black Sea grain initiative and India's restrictions on rice exports. The increases punctuated a longer-term decline in commodity prices in the past year.
Black Sea shutdown could have multiyear impact on Ukraine’s farmers
Ukraine is losing its place as one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat and corn because of warfare, and its role could shrink further with the closure of Black Sea shipping lanes this week, said analysts at the IFPRI think tank. Russia, which has attacked Ukrainian grain ports for three days in a row, declared on Thursday that ship travel was unsafe in parts of the Black Sea.
Ukraine grain exports to suffer as Russia blockades Black Sea
The United States will work with allies to find new ways to get Ukrainian grain onto the world market following Russia's decision to effectively blockade its ports again, said an administration spokesman on Monday. Nonetheless, exports from Ukraine, a leading supplier of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, are sure to decline with the demise of the year-old Black Sea grain agreement, he said.
Reflecting U.S. goal, G20 ag ministers side with Ukraine in war
Pressed by the United States to act, agriculture ministers from most of the world's leading economies condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said in a statement that Moscow should allow Ukrainian grain to flow through the Black Sea unimpeded. Agriculture undersecretary Xochitl Torres Small said on Tuesday the expression of world support for Ukraine was a U.S. priority at the meeting of G20 agriculture ministers in India over the weekend.