‘World’s wheat field’ the Black Sea region becomes a battlefield… World food ‘domino shock’ (M.Khan)

M. Khan (Korea) published an article that suggested concerns are growing that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could escalate into a global food crisis. This is because, as the Black Sea region, which accounts for one-third of the world’s wheat production, becomes a battleground, the global grain market could be severely impacted by reduced yields and disruption of supply chains. According to IFPRI (see the blog post, How will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affect global food security?), Ukraine and Russia are the world’s top five grain exporters, accounting for more than a third (34 percent) of global wheat and more than a quarter of barley (26.8 percent) in 2018-2020 about a fifth (17.4 percent) of maize was produced in this region. For sunflower seed oil, Ukraine accounts for about half (49.6 percent) of global production. IFPRI said, “The situation in which each country is taking measures to secure its own food security can lead to ‘neighborhood poverty,’ which can have detrimental consequences for vulnerable countries.