UN agency receives US$17 million to help with grain storage in Ukraine

The United Nations food agency said it received $17 million from Japan to help with Ukraine’s grain storage problems and boost the country’s exports as global prices remain near record levels amid the war in Ukraine. country.

The proceeds would help Ukraine, the world’s fourth-largest grain exporter, store produce from the current July-August harvest in plastic packaging and modular storage containers, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said. FAO).

Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have stopped operating since the Russian invasion on February 24, halting the country’s maritime exports and leaving its silos full of grain.

Food prices soared in response, sparking a global food crisis and protests in developing countries.

“Ukraine’s farmers are feeding themselves and millions of people around the world,” said Rein Paulsen, director of FAO’s emergency and resilience office.

“Ensuring that they can continue to produce, safely store and access alternative markets is vital to strengthening food security in Ukraine and ensuring that other import-dependent countries have a sufficient supply of grain at a manageable cost,” he added.

FAO said Ukraine still had 18 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds from last year sitting in storage, and the country expected to harvest another 60 million tonnes in the current season.

However, about 30% of its silos were filled with last season’s harvest, FAO said.

Ukraine, which shipped 44.7 million tonnes of grain in 2020/21, is trying to export its crop by road, river and rail, but logistical difficulties limit volumes to a maximum of around 2 million tonnes per month. .

FAO said it would also use its new funds to help Ukraine operationalize these alternative grain export routes.