Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Grain harvest could be halved by war with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that his nation’s grain harvest this year could be half of its typical amount due to its ongoing war with Russia.

Mr. Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday morning that the harvest “is under the threat to be twice less.” 

“Our main goal — to prevent global food crisis caused by Russian invasion. Still grains find a way to be delivered alternatively,” he wrote.

Ukraine is a major exporter of agricultural products globally. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, the nation is the top exporter of seed oils (particularly sunflower oil), the fourth largest corn exporter and the fifth largest wheat exporter. 

The Wilson Center, a D.C.-based think tank, also said that Ukraine supplies 40% of the wheat for the United Nations’ World Food Program.

A Russian naval blockade had been preventing Ukraine from shipping its grain abroad.

But the two countries signed separate deals with the UN and Turkey on July 22 that allows Ukraine to resume shipping its grain and Russia to ship its fertilizer, as well as its grain.