The problem is not the lack of grain or fertiliser, the problem is that Russia’s war “prevents us from getting these products out” of Ukraine, said Maximo Torero, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
“All mechanisms to get these products out are useful”, he added at a meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture. Mr Torero has supported the European Commission’s measures to remove grain from Ukraine (see EUROPE 12953/6).
Fight against speculation. Maximo Torero stressed, in response to Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain), that in order to fight speculation on agricultural prices, it was necessary to “increase transparency on transactions and impose sanctions in case of non-compliance with the rules”.
If the conflict continues, there is a risk that next year, production will fall, he said.
Indian restrictions. Regarding the Indian decision to restrict wheat exports, the FAO chief economist assured Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy) and Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, Czech Republic) that the impact of this decision on food security will be felt more next year. “India has exported a significant amount of what it committed to export. No one blames India”, said Mr Torero.
Luke Ming Flanagan (The Left, Ireland) said that solutions should be found to facilitate the transport of grain by sea.
Eric Andrieu (S&D, France) raised the issue of strategic stocks for developing countries and the temporary suspension of biofuel production “to calm the markets”.
Zbigniew Kuźmiuk (ECR, Poland) said Russia was trying to “destabilise the agri-food market”, including by blocking ports and destroying infrastructure after disrupting the energy market.
“Ukraine is making every effort to meet its contractual obligations and supply food to global consumers, particularly through the use of the EU infrastructure”, stressed the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba.
The minister added that Ukraine had already agreed with EU countries to develop “alternative ways to supply Ukrainian food exports to global markets”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)