Guterres Says No Solution To Food Crisis Without Ukraine, Russia, Belarus Back In Markets

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2022) There is no true solution to the global food security crisis without bringing Ukraine, Russia and Belarus back into world markets, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday.

"There is really no true solution to the problem of global food security without bringing back the agricultural production of Ukraine and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets, despite the war. I am determined to do everything to facilitate a dialogue that can help achieve this objective," he said during a press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Russia and Ukraine were among the top global exporters of various types of staple foods, including wheat and corn, in 2021, while Russia was also the leading exporter of nitrogen fertilizers, the second major supplier of potassium fertilizers and the third largest supplier of phosphorous fertilizers.

The organization has noted that Ukraine's food production is threatened by factors like disruption of logistics, loss of access to agricultural lands, labor shortages, damage to crops due to hostilities, and destruction of food system assets and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Western sanctions on Russia have undermined the latter's sales of agricultural products abroad and prompted Moscow to retaliate by freezing fertilizer exports.

As a result, the global food prices hit the highest ever levels in March, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned earlier in April that global food prices will likely rise further in the future due to the conflict in Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and Belarus, as well as climate issues.