Zelenskyy’s declaration of exporting grains through Odesa port maybe plainly reckless. There is difference between braveness and recklessness. Fresh missile attack of Russia on Odesa port has cast aspersions on the idea of grain export through Odesa port. Ukraine has promised to ease global food shortage by exporting grain through its black sea ports including Odesa but will Russia allow Ukraine to do that is the most pertinent question. Why is Russia attacking Odesa port with missiles if it doesn’t want to stall grain exports through Odesa is another pertinent question. Trusting Russia has become difficult for world community after it attacked Ukraine.
Ukranian president Zelenskyy has termed Saturday Russian attack on Odesa as barbaric as usual but mere blabbering is not going to solve the problem. Zelenskyy knows that best and that’s why he looks firm to resume grain exports from Odesa. Ukranian military has been quoted by public broadcaster as maintaining that granaries at port have not been hit and port has escaped any major destruction. Ukraine has simply refused to put on hold its technical preparations to export agro commodities from its ports.
Despite hiccups deal between Russia and Ukraine is on and a major diplomatic breakthrough, which will go a long way in controlling soaring global food prices and maybe end food shortage for now. Before war started grain outflows from Ukraine was 5 million tons per month and target of UN is complete restoration of that. But before that happens there is quite some distance to traverse. Ukraine is sitting on a mound of food grains and world is facing food crisis; this situation can’t be allowed to continue. Ukraine has declared that it can supply 60 million tons of grains in next nine months if situation is favorable. If situation doesn’t improve then same quantity of grains will take 24 months to exit Ukraine. So, Ukrainian ports need to function optimally and global community needs to ensure that.
Russia is playing games with global community, otherwise why would have Russia attacked Odesa port mere hours after signing deal with Ukraine to allow grain exports from Black sea ports of Ukraine including Odesa. To defeat Russia in its shady games, global community needs to stand with Ukraine’s efforts to restore grain exports from its shores, efforts that look really serious. Ukrainian authorities have shown no inclination to back down from the deal and have decided to get rid of millions of tons of grains accumulated in Ukraine after war started.
Firmness of Ukrainian president in restoring grain exports has buoyed grain traders from across the world. Online trade of Ukrainian grain will pick up pace in coming days. Ukraine is one of the biggest exporters of wheat, corn and vegetable oils and once these commodities start leaving Ukrainian shores, global food crisis will ease out. B2B ecommerce platform can be trusted by exporters and importers of Ukrainian agro products after exports from Ukrainian black sea ports picks up. This next generation ecommerce platform is dedicated to agro commodities trade and boasts of huge and wide ranging database with tens of thousands of agro commodities buyers from more than hundred countries registered on it.
