Roughly half of Ukrainian grain exports transited Romania, minister says
Approximately 2.7 mln tonnes of grain coming from Ukraine transited Romania on its way to countries around the world.
The figure was given by the Romanian minister of foreign affairs Bogdan Aurescu during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which reunites all EU ministers of foreign affairs.
Other topics of discussion during the meeting included Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, EU relations with Latin America, the Arab League, and the Caribbean, aside from digital diplomacy and combating fake news, according to Agerpres.
The ministers also discussed with their Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, for the first time since Ukraine was granted EU candidate status. On this occasion, Minister Aurescu restated Romania’s support for Ukraine’s membership in the EU.
Getting Ukrainian grain exports to their destination has become a paramount concern for international organizations attempting to prevent a global food crisis. The current Agricultural Price Index, an indicator used to track rising costs in the sector, is 19% higher than at the beginning of the year, with maize and wheat prices 15% and 24% higher, respectively.
According to the World Bank, the war in Ukraine disrupted global patterns of production, trade, and consumption, and is set to keep prices at “historically high levels” up to the end of 2024. Agricultural products like wheat, maize, edible oils, and fertilizers have been most impacted by the war, increasing food insecurity.
In this context, getting as much of Ukraine’s cereal and grain out of the country has become even more important. The EU and Turkey have been mediating talks between Russia and Ukraine with that exact purpose, hoping to at least partly lift the former’s blockade of Ukrainian ports.
(Photo source: Gelia | Dreamstime.com)
