David Beasley, the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), told MEPs, on Thursday 30 June, that it was impossible to move enough grain to third countries in need “without opening Ukrainian ports”, including Odessa.
David Beasley gave an update on food security in the context of the Russian-triggered war in Ukraine to the European Parliament’s Committees on Agriculture and Development. “The port of Odessa must be opened”, Beasley said. In normal times, 3,000 to 4,000 carloads leave the port daily.
The G7 pledged, on 28 June, to do everything possible to help the most vulnerable countries cope with the food crisis (see EUROPE 12982/24).
The solution, he said, was to “put pressure on Russia to reopen these ports” in the Black Sea. Other small solutions, such as land and rail transport, only postpone the problem, according to David Beasley.
He confirmed that the WFP had purchased Ukrainian grain, among other things, to feed already the Ukrainian people. “Other supply routes are being sought towards Romania, for example, or through barges to supply ships with goods. Trucking increases the cost of goods, which has an impact on the market”, explained the WFP Executive Director.
“The issue of ports must be resolved. African and other countries that depend on Ukrainian grain must put pressure on Russia”, he insisted.
Egypt, for example, buys about 80% of its wheat from Ukraine. “We are helping these countries by buying products from other sources until we can get more grain out of Ukraine”, Mr Beasley said.
The MEPs, Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy) and Dacian Cioloș (Renew Europe, Romania) suggested that the WFP should buy the grain itself from Ukraine and take responsibility for transporting it to the most vulnerable third countries.
Mr Dorfmann and other MEPs pointed to the logistical problems at the Ukrainian border in transporting grain via Poland or Romania.
Éric Andrieu (S&D, France) called for the issue of speculation to be taken seriously and questioned, like Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, German), the usefulness of producing agrofuels during a food crisis.
Dacian Cioloș regretted the lack of solutions to guard against the instability that exists in agricultural markets.
Martin Häusling also insisted, as did others, including Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Maria Noichl (S&D, Germany), on the importance of helping African countries to acquire genuine food sovereignty (agro-economy, crop diversification). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)