Suspension of accord by Russia of Ukrainian wheat exports through Black Sea invites criticism
By Mohammed Asghar Khan
New York
The United Nations (UN) has expressed concerns over Russia’s suspension of the agreement for the delivery of wheat from Ukraine through the Black Sea.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed his apprehensions over the suspension of the agreement by Russia.
He said that Russia’s suspension of the deal of wheat supply has served as a blow to this basic need of poor people around the world.
Meanwhile, the White House while responding to this development has maintained that the suspension of this agreement to supply grain from Ukraine to poor countries through the Black Sea will further worsen the food security situation and harm millions of people.
Russia has announced it will withdraw from a United Nations-brokered deal that allows Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea.
Hours before Moscow’s decision to do so an explosion had damaged Russia’s Crimea Bridge.
Russia blamed Ukraine for the attack, which killed two civilians and wounded one.
However, the Kremlin clarified that the suspension of the grain delivery agreement had nothing to do with the attack on the bridge, but rather the failure of the parties to implement a similar agreement to export Russian grain and fertilizer.
This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a conference call.
He informed the reporters that unfortunately, these agreements about Russia could not be implemented as a result of which aforementioned deal was cancelled.
This is pertinent to mention here that Ukraine is known as one of the largest producers and exporters of wheat in the world. Wheat production in Ukraine has been significant, and the country has favorable conditions for cultivating this crop.
The Ukrainian climate, particularly in the central and southern regions, provides suitable conditions for wheat cultivation.
In recent years, Ukraine has consistently been among the top wheat-producing countries globally. The country has benefited from its fertile soils, favorable climate, and extensive agricultural land. Ukraine has also made efforts to modernize its agricultural sector, leading to increased productivity and improved farming practices.
In the 2020/2021 marketing year (July to June), Ukraine’s wheat production reached approximately 27.3 million metric tons, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
