Ukraine Begins Wheat and Pea Harvest Season... "Left in Fields Due to Warehouse Shortage"

Storage Shortage of 15 Million Tons Expected by October
Concerns Over Worsening Food Crisis in Middle East and Africa Regions

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Although the harvest season for wheat and peas in Ukraine has officially begun, the blockade of grain export routes due to the war has led to a shortage of storage facilities, resulting in an increasing amount of grain being left unattended in the fields. Concerns are rising globally about a food crisis as more than 15 million tons of grain may be left unused and lost if grain exports do not resume.

According to Bloomberg on the 19th (local time), while the harvest of wheat and peas in Ukraine has started in earnest, most crops are reportedly being left in the fields due to a lack of storage warehouses. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture stated that with over 20 million tons of grain unable to be exported because of the Russian military blockade of Black Sea ports, grain storage facilities are nearly full.

It is also reported that more than 20% of grain storage facilities in Ukraine have been destroyed due to the war. The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that if grain exports do not resume by October this year, more than 10 to 15 million tons of grain could be left unattended. There is concern that prolonged storage in the fields will likely lead to significant losses, further exacerbating the food crisis.

Earlier, the Ukrainian government partially opened alternative export routes using land transportation such as railways and roads in cooperation with neighboring countries like Poland and Romania. However, the volume that can be shipped this way is much smaller compared to maritime exports, causing continued congestion in storage facilities. Bloomberg noted that before the war, about 20% of harvested wheat and peas were purchased immediately and not stored in warehouses, but this is no longer possible due to the war.

Starting in August, preparations must begin again for cultivating winter crops such as wheat. However, due to storage shortages, farmland destruction caused by the war, severe labor shortages from mass displacement, and fertilizer shortages, many farms are expected to find it difficult to resume wheat farming.

Consequently, concerns are growing that the food crisis will accelerate from the second half of this year, especially in regions highly dependent on Ukrainian grain such as the Middle East and Africa. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is estimated that 179 million to 181 million people in 41 countries will face food crises this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.