According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports will severely affect its ability to export wheat and sunflower seeds.

At the same time, Russia reports that Western sanctions are hitting Russian grain exports hard.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that if Ukraine was allowed to export food, the West should lift sanctions on Russian exports and financial transactions.

For some countries, the consequences could be dramatic, according to the World Food Programme.

Therefore, Russia is experiencing export difficulties

Ruth Haug is professor of development studies at the Norwegian University of the Life Sciences. He explained that Russia sells very little food to western countries.

Nevertheless, Haug believes it is reasonable to believe that sanctions against Russian banks provide a worse payment option, which in turn has an indirect impact on the country’s food exports.

This is a problem UN The Organization for Nutrition and Agriculture (FAO) has taken a closer look. They believe that sanctions have made it difficult for Russia to export food, but also to sell it.

Nevertheless, Russia shipped more wheat than expected in April, according to FAO. Exports mostly to Egypt, Iran and Turkey.

– Must be allowed to export

Senior researcher Karsten Friis at the Norwegian Institute for Foreign Policy (NUPI) believes it may be in everyone’s interest to make it easier for Russia to export food.

– But then Ukraine should also be allowed to export food, Friis points out.

Further, he said that a solution between the parties was unimaginable.

Friis compared a possible food shortage, to an ongoing gas shortage, with several European countries opening up to further gas purchases from Russia.

Will cause an increase in hunger

Today, Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat. Number of Directorate of Agriculture shows that they exported nearly 40 million tonnes last year.

In fourth place is Ukraine; during the same period, they exported about 17 million tonnes of wheat.

They now have 22 million tonnes of grain and sunflower seeds ready for export, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. But time is running out, and supplies are reported to be in danger of being lost.

– Now the world must do everything they can to send this grain out of Ukraine, says researcher Ruth Haug.

He points out that there is a lot of wheat involved, and that the loss of wheat stocks will mostly go to poor countries and poor people.

– If grain from Ukraine disappears, it will affect global food security. The situation is very worrying and will lead to an increase in world hunger.

Fear of Africa

The World Food Program (WFP) has warned against the fact that the destruction of Ukrainian lands can lead to increased hunger and global hunger.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned of the impact of Western sanctions on Russia on neutral countries.

Ramaphosa said on Tuesday he was “deeply concerned” about how the war in Ukraine would affect African countries.

“Even countries that are onlookers, and those that are not part of the conflict, will suffer the sanctions imposed on Russia, the South African president warned.