HAMBURG (Reuters) – Russian attacks on Ukraine’s grain infrastructure appear like makes an attempt to cut back the competitors in Russia’s export markets, German Agriculture Minister Cem Oezdemir was reported as saying on Monday.
Ukraine might lose tens of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of grain due to Russia’s blockade of its Black Sea ports, triggering a meals disaster that may hit Europe, Asia and Africa, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Monday.
“We are repeatedly receiving reports about targeted Russian attacks on grain silos, fertilizer stores, farming areas and infrastructure,” Oezdemir was quoted as telling the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, a cooperation network of German regional newspapers.
Russia denies focusing on civilian areas.
The suspicion is rising that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in search of “in the long term to remove Ukraine as a competitor”, Oezdemir was quoted as saying.
Russia and Ukraine are historically main opponents in international grains markets. Global wheat costs have risen about 40% since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine cut provides out there on world markets from the Black Sea.
According to International Grains Council knowledge, Ukraine was the world’s fourth-largest grain exporter within the 2020/21 season, promoting 44.7 million tonnes overseas. The quantity of exports has fallen sharply for the reason that Russian invasion.
“With the increasing hunger in the world, Russia is seeking to build up pressure,” Oezdemir informed the network. “At the same time, the massive increase in market prices is coming in handy for Russia because this brings new money into the country.”
Oezdemir mentioned he would elevate the query of how Ukraine could possibly be helped to enhance its grain exports at a assembly of G7 agriculture ministers in mid-May.
“We must seek alternative transport methods,” he mentioned. “Railway transport could possibly be a technique of exporting extra grain, though with a lot effort and with restricted capability.”
Germany would search to give help, he added.
Ukraine has been progressively increasing grain exports utilizing land transport to the European Union. But the completely different rail monitor widths in Ukraine and the EU imply Ukrainian trains can’t routinely function on the European rail network.
Moscow calls its actions a “particular army operation” to disarm Ukraine and rid it of anti-Russian nationalism fomented by the West. Ukraine and the West say Russia launched an unprovoked struggle of aggression that threatens to spiral into a a lot wider battle.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan, modifying by Nick Macfie)
