Farm Policy News

Nabih Bulos reported on the front page of today’s Los Angeles Times that, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended the workings of what before the war was the world’s fourth-largest grain exporter.”

New York Times writer Emma Bubola reported yesterday that, “The biggest caravan of ships carrying grain and other agricultural products since the beginning of the Russian invasion has sailed from Ukrainian ports on Sunday, heading to Europe, Asia and the Middle East through the mined waters of the Black Sea.”

Bloomberg writer Aine Quinn reported today that, “Global food prices fell the most since 2008 after concerns over supplies of grains and vegetable oils eased as Ukraine moved toward restarting exports.”

Financial Times writers Laura Pitel and Felicia Schwartz reported yesterday that, “The first grain ship to set sail from Ukraine in months was cleared to embark on the final leg of its journey after passing an inspection by a team of international monitors in Turkish waters.”

Financial Times writers Mehul Srivastava, Laura Pitel, Harry Dempsey and Emiko Terazono reported yesterday that, “Ukraine’s infrastructure minister has warned it will take months before grain exports from Odesa and neighbouring ports reach prewar levels and alleviate the global food crisis despite the relaxation of a Russian blockade in the Black Sea.”

Dalton Bennett and Kareem Fahim reported on the front page of today’s Washington Post that, “The first ship carrying grain departed a Ukrainian port early Monday under a United Nations-brokered deal to ease a global food crisis sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

Reuters writer Natalia Zinets reported today that, “A ship carrying grain left the Ukrainian port of Odesa for Lebanon on Monday under a safe passage agreement, Ukrainian and Turkish officials said, the first departure since the Russian invasion blocked shipping through the Black Sea five months ago.”

Reuters writer Michelle Nichols reported yesterday that, “U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday he was hopeful that the first shipment of grain from a Ukrainian Black Sea port could take place as early as Friday, but ‘crucial’ details for the safe passage of vessels were still being worked out.”

Bloomberg writers Megan Durisin and Archie Hunter reported earlier this week that, “Now that Ukraine’s grain-export deal has been signed, all eyes are on clearing a major obstacle: freeing the scores of ships stuck there since February.”

Financial Times writers Mark Raczkiewycz and Polina Ivanova reported yesterday that, “Ukraine hopes to start implementing a deal to export millions of tonnes of grain from blockaded Black Sea ports as soon as this week, even after Russian missile strikes hit the key Ukrainian port city of Odesa and threatened to unravel the agreement.”

Ellen Francis, Kareem Fahim and Claire Parker reported on the front page of Sunday’s Washington Post that, “Russian missiles hit the Black Sea port of Odessa on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said, imperiling a deal Moscow and Kyiv reached a day earlier to allow shipment of millions of tons of trapped grain and ease a global food crisis.”

Reuters writers Ezgi Erkoyun, Ece Toksabay and Max Hunder reported on Friday that, “Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on Friday to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports for grain exports, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by the Russian invasion can be eased.”

Jared Malsin, William Mauldin and Alistair MacDonald reported in today’s Wall Street Journal that, “Officials from Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations planned to sign a deal to resume exports of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea on Friday, Turkish and U.N. officials said, in an announcement that raised hopes of freeing food supplies trapped by the Russian invasion.”

Financial Times writers Max Seddon and Laura Pitel reported yesterday that, “Russian president Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for a summit with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts that will have crucial implications for his military campaign in Ukraine.”

Reuters writers Tuvan Gumrukcu, Yesim Dikmen, Orhan Coskun and Michelle Nichols reported yesterday that, “Officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations will most likely meet this week to discuss resuming Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports, Ankara said on Monday, while a Turkish official said lingering ‘small problems’ should be overcome.”

Late last week, Bloomberg writer Aine Quinn reported that, “The Russian-occupied peninsula of Crimea is shipping more than 50 times the volume of food it usually does at this time of year, likely indicating that seized Ukrainian grain is being taken abroad, according to analysts and the Kyiv School of Economics.”

Jared Malsin, Alistair MacDonald and Stephen Kalin reported in today’s Wall Street Journal that, “Officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United Nations agreed on key aspects of a plan to resume exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, senior Turkish and U.N. leaders said.”