United Nations trade chief Rebeca Grynspan reported that food prices have been gradually falling and exports from Ukraine and Russia have increased since 22 July. grain deal“Alleviate pain … for the 1.6 billion people around the world who are facing an increase in the cost of living, especially due to rising food prices.”
Benefits for vulnerable people everywhere
Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Ms. Grynspan, who leads the United Nations team to facilitate unfettered access to food and fertilizer from Russia, said that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)FAO) reported that food prices globally have fallen for the fifth consecutive month. “Reintegration [grain] and fertilizers into the global market, lowering global food prices so that vulnerable people everywhere can access affordable food is our primary goal.”
However, she also expressed concern that this decline in international prices is not happening in the domestic market and especially in developing countries which are still struggling with high food prices, as well as inflation and currency devaluation. “There is still a problem for many developing countries because prices are not falling for them as we would like. So there is more work to be done.”
Fertilizer shipments need to be handled
Responding to a question regarding reports of delayed Russian fertilizer shipments, Ms. Grynspan said fertilizer and ammonia were also included in the initial agreements signed in Türkiye.
“The United Nations continues to pursue all efforts to achieve a positive outcome for Russia’s ammonia exports to the international market,” she said, stressing that fertilizers are “a very important part of the world.” of this agreement. Fertilizer prices are now three times higher than before COVID-19 pandemic [so] “The affordability crisis we have now will be a catastrophic crisis if we don’t solve the fertilizer problem.”
For example, Ms. Grynspan, who is also the head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), indicating that the new sowing season in West Africa has ended and planting has been greatly reduced due to the cost of fertilizers.
Joining a video press conference from Ankara, Amir Abdulla, United Nations Coordinator on Black Sea Grains Initiative129 ships loaded with more than 2.8 million tons of grain have left three designated ports in Ukraine’s Black Sea for different countries.
Towards more shipments
“We are close to the 3 million mark. Hopefully we’ll do it the next day or so and the rate we’ve lost is almost over three weeks,” he said, adding that “we’d really like to see an increase.” a little bit about that. So there are some effects that we might need to try and recommend if possible. But if we keep at those levels, we’re more or less in line with [where we thought we’d be] for this part of the agreement. “
Taking on some of the points made by Ms. Grynspan, he said that it is true that “sometimes there are some issues with domestic prices, but what we do see is falling prices, an interesting phenomenon, in one or two countries. It’s because of that drop. People who have been hoarding grain and hoping to sell at a premium are now putting more on the market…. “Hopefully that will bring down some of those local prices.”
