Zelensky Warns Russian Black Sea Blockade Could Trigger Food Shortages and Farming Crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned during a discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum that Russia's blockade of the Black Sea could lead to grain shortages on global markets and an agricultural crisis in several regions within one or two months, according to Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne. Ukraine is a major grain exporter, so disruption to its ports affects countries that depend on those supplies.

Warning of hunger risk

Zelensky noted that the world is currently talking mostly about a diesel fuel shortage while forgetting about grain. In his words, food could run short in Africa, some Asian countries and the Middle East, because Ukraine exports millions of tonnes of grain to those markets, while Russia is now blocking the Black Sea.

He also said the United States faces no grain deficit, which is why President Donald Trump pays more attention to energy matters. Zelensky stressed that such crises can be prevented before they begin if countries cooperate. He described it as a hunger problem that could affect many countries.

The situation in Ukrainian agriculture

Ukraine's Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi said on 28 September that the sector is in its most difficult position since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Because exports from Odesa's ports have been halted for two months, Ukraine has been unable to ship more than half of its prepared grain.

On 13 August, Ukraine's Ministry of Agriculture warned that Russian attacks, which forced the closure of three deep-water ports in Odesa, could cut agricultural exports by more than half: from a planned 64.4 million tonnes to 29.6 million tonnes.

Already on 28 July it was reported that all Odesa ports had suspended both imports and exports because of Russian attacks. Cargo was redirected to ports on the Danube and to the Romanian port of Constanta.