Russia's 'grain deal' exit to deepen hunger in ' hardest-hit areas': White House warns
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (Photo: Getty Images)
Russia's exit from the "grain deal" would exacerbate hunger in some of the most affected regions of the world, including Africa, according to a statement of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, cited by Reuters.
Moreover, she pointed out that Russia's exit from the agreement had caused volatility in grain prices.
"Russia's actions to take such a significant amount of food products off the world markets will exacerbate hunger in some of the hardest-hit areas of the world, including Africa," she said.
She added that as a result of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, over 32 million tons of grain had been exported to rural markets.
Russia's withdrawal from the "grain deal"
This month, Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered agreement regarding the transit of Ukrainian grain, which ensured the safe passage of Ukrainian cargo vessels carrying grain, oilseeds, and wheat to global markets.
Now, Ukraine will be forced to rely almost entirely on costly routes through the European Union, and the cheapest alternative artery, the Danube River, may not be able to increase its volumes as initially anticipated due to the bombings.
According to the International Monetary Fund's estimates, as a consequence, global grain prices will rise by 10-15%.
