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UKRAINE- Ukrainian officials say that Russia continues to block the recently renewed Black Sea Grain Initiative by halting the registration of ships to all Ukrainian ports, according to a Reuters report. According to the UN, only 33 ships departed from Ukrainian ports in May, half the number compared to April. Moreover, the average daily inspection rate for ships had fallen…
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TURKEY- According to a televised speech by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the Ukraine Black Sea grain deal has been extended for two more months, merely hours before Russia could have quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hails this as “good news for the world,” as the flow of ships through…
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UKRAINE- Major grain producer and exporter, Ukraine, plans to ban imports from Moldova in response to a potential ban on Ukrainian grain announced on May 6, the Kyiv Independent reported. According to Moldova’s agriculture minister, the country plans to join other European Union countries in banning some Ukrainian grains while allowing their transit. In warning, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economic…
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HUNGARY- The Hungarian Grain and Feed Association has strongly opposed the country’s ban on grain and oilseed imports from Ukraine, pointing out that the restrictions will hurt feed makers and industrial users in Hungary. According to the association, the ban on grains and oilseeds means feed manufacturers have lost access to the closest and most convenient source of raw material…
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BELGIUM- European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, plans to offer a package worth 100 million euros (US$109.32 million) to support EU farmers after Central European countries restricted imports of Ukrainian cereals that depressed their domestic market prices. Citing a European Commission spokesperson, Reuters reported that the pressure to develop an EU-wide solution intensified after Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia announced…
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UKRAINE- Ukrainian officials said the Black Sea Grain Initiative was in danger of shutting down after Russia frustrated inspections of participating ships in Turkish waters, according to a report by Reuters. Ukraine’s restoration ministry said in a Facebook post headlined “Grain Initiative under threat of a shutdown” that this is the second time in 9 months of operation of the…
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HUNGARY- The European Union has criticized Hungary’s intention to follow Poland in banning Ukrainian food imports, saying that the unilateral moves were “unacceptable” and trade policies of this kind were a matter of “E.U. exclusive competence.” In its statement, the EU insists that “in such challenging times, it is crucial to coordinate and align all decisions within the EU” and…
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POLAND – Polish and Ukrainian governments have reached an import suspension agreement in which Ukrainian grain will only go through Poland to third countries. This suspension will be in effect “at least until July,” when the new harvest season begins. Representatives from both governments will meet in the coming days to iron out the logistical details to ensure the grain…
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POLAND – Poland is asking the European Union to do whatever it takes to restrict how much Ukrainian grain enters the EU market, as the country faces angry farmers protesting depressed grain prices caused by cheaper imports. Noting the difficulties that local markets are facing in Poland, the Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that the EU would offer financial compensation…
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AFRICA – The impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war has forced many millers from the Eastern and Southern parts of Africa to venture deeper into Europe in search of a stable supply of wheat. This was revealed by Marvin Jaeger, AIT Regional Manager Africa, and the Middle East while presenting the 2023 wheat update to attendees at the just concluded Milling…
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