New York, 8 May 2022 (TDI): World Food Programme has appealed for the reopening of ports in Southern Ukraine and Odesa to control the food crisis worldwide. This action would prevent millions of tons of grains from going to waste and enable the free flow of food in war-torn countries.
Currently, the world is on the brink of famine due to the disruption of supply chains from Ukraine.
“Right now, Ukraine’s grain silos are full. At the same time, 44 million people worldwide are marching towards starvation. We have to open up these ports so that food can move in and out of Ukraine. The world demands it because hundreds of millions of people globally depend on these supplies,” These remarks were delivered by WPF Executive Director David Beasley.
Director WPF urged to take immediate action because the world is running out of time, and the cost of inaction will be higher than anyone can imagine. He requested all the concerned stakeholders to enable food provision to countries where famine is looming. Many countries in the Horns of Africa and Syria are currently on the brink of starvation due to the Russia Ukraine war since February 2022.
Feeding the hungry population:
WFP has warned that Millions of metric tonnes of grains have been Stuck in the silos of Ukraine since the war began. If ports are not reopened, Ukrainian farmers will have no place to store their next harvest. Currently, 276 million people are facing acute hunger. This number can rise by 47 million by the middle of the year if the war continues.
“The result will be mountains of grain going to waste while WFP and the world struggle to deal with an already catastrophic global hunger crisis,” the agency said.
Ukraine’s Food Supply Chain:
Ukraine holds a prominent position in the global food supply chain. The country exported its produced food through Black Sea ports worldwide before the conflict began. Nearly 50 million metric tonnes of food grains transited in the ports eight months before the war started. These food reserves are sufficient to feed 400 million people. The supply chain disruption has already resulted in rising global food prices. Export prices for wheat and maize increased by 22% in 2022. The rise in food prices also increased operational costs by $71 million a month for four million people for one month. The food crisis has dramatically impacted the ability of the agency to respond to the global hunger crisis worldwide.
