Ukraine war serves as wake-up call for food-import dependent Middle East

Soaring prices of food, fertilizer and fuel pose a clear and imminent threat to vulnerable communities and hunger hotspots across the Middle East and North Africa. Entire populations are feeling the adverse effects of a war being fought thousands of miles away from the region. 

Given that Russia is the world’s biggest exporter of wheat, and Ukraine the world’s fifth, disruption to the distribution of grain is having a significant impact on the price of staples such as bread on a global scale. 

Combined, Russia and Ukraine account for more than half of the world’s sunflower seed oil exports as well as 19 percent of the world’s barley supply, 14 percent of wheat and 4 percent of maize, making up nearly a third of global cereal exports. 

Nada said that Yemen, Egypt and Lebanon three countries that were already reeling from the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts and structural imbalances — are especially vulnerable to the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine. 

In the war zone itself, the collapse of Ukraine’s food supply chains has led to shortages in major cities, including the capital Kyiv. Long known as “Europe’s breadbasket,” the country is likely to miss critical planting and harvesting seasons this year, compounding the crisis. 

At the same time, Western sanctions imposed on Russia, a major exporter of fertilizers including potash, ammonia, urea and other soil nutrients, means farmers are scaling back production or anticipating reduced yields. 

As a result, the price of wheat has shot up by 21 percent, barley by 33 percent, and some fertilizers by 40 percent in the last month alone.