The Ukrainian president warned of a devastating impact on this year’s harvest in the “breadbasket of Europe” but insisted the country was finding a way for grain to be delivered instead. It came as John Rich, chairman of MHP, Ukraine’s largest agricultural products company, said a push by Ukrainian forces into the south of the country – and an associated increase in hostilities – could affect the rebuilding of the ports and surrounding roads which are vital to restart grain exports. The blockade of Ukrainian ports by Vladimir Putin’s war machine has cut off the wheat, corn and sunflower seed giant and hampered production, leading to global food shortages and rising prices. Zelensky said in a tweet on Sunday that Ukraine’s harvest threatens to be “twice” smaller than normal. He said: “Our main focus is prevention [a] global food crisis caused by [the] Russian invasion. The remaining grains find a way to be delivered as an alternative.” Ukraine’s president said on Friday that grain shipments were ready and waiting since a UN-led deal was signed last month between Ukraine and Russia to resume exports for the first time since the war broke out. But Mr Rich, an Australian executive and agribusiness adviser for the World Bank, said the MHP would take a “wait and see” approach and stockpile produce. He said: “I am the biggest optimist in the world. But in this case, reality tells me that this will not be an easy task. The spirit is there from the Ukrainian government to try to get all this wheat out. Everyone is trying to do their best. But you can only do so within physical limitations. “First of all, the ports must be repaired. Second, we have road infrastructure to the ports that needs to be repaired. Third, we must have these ports demined.” Often referred to as “the breadbasket of Europe”, Ukraine accounts for 12% of world wheat exports, 16% of maize and 18% of barley. Its exports were enough to feed up to 400 million people worldwide before war broke out.
