Hoping for a compromise on the grain agreement

The bitter event of the Ukraine war, with the non-renewal of the agreement on the opening of the Ukrainian grain export route, was bad news for food security in the world, which showed its role in the first days with the increase in the price of some goods, including wheat. Ukraine has been one of the largest grain producers in the world and one of the special sellers of these supplies to international aid organizations. In this way, food security has been threatened from both sides, especially in countries that need help. On the one hand, there is an increase in the global price of grains, which will lead to an increase in the global price of food, and on the other hand, there is a more difficult provision of the needs of relief organizations.

In order to accept the continuation of this agreement, Russia has conditions, including the sale of Russian grain and agricultural products and receiving their money without engaging in Western sanctions. Although the trade of agricultural products and inputs in Russia is not under sanctions, due to banking and insurance sanctions, Russian agricultural trade is in trouble. Russia believes that the previous agreement could not help to improve this trade.

On the other hand, Russia has set another prerequisite for its acceptance, and that is the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to poor countries. Although this request is against the planning independence of Ukraine, Russia sees it as a sign of the adherence of the Western parties to the real concern about the food security of poor countries, and also that the lack of sufficient food for Europe is the role of the supporters of the Ukrainian front.

In the past days, the president of Ukraine mentioned the victory of several ships in defeating the naval blockade to send grain, and also Ukraine tried to send its products out via the Danube. But in the past months, Ukrainian ports and a large amount of agricultural products were damaged in Russian bombings. Also, Russia threatened to identify and target the ships as a war option. Despite these fears, the export of agricultural products will not be possible easily.

Now, Turkey is playing the role of a country that is accepted by both sides of the battlefield and has been able to find a solution several times in the past. This time, it is trying to find a way to help this global crisis by talking to both sides of the field and the sanctioning countries. Here it should be hoped that this mediation will have a promising result.

Adkanian