The United Nations' World Food Programme warned Friday about a looming food
crisis in Ukraine in conflict areas, while disruptions in production and
exports could lead to food insecurity globally.
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"In a year when the world is already facing an unprecedented level of
hunger, it’s just tragic to see hunger raising its head in what has long been
the breadbasket of Europe,' said the
UN agency's director, David Beasley.
"The bullets and bombs in Ukraine could take the global hunger crisis
to levels beyond anything we’ve seen before," said Beasley, whom the
agency said had visited a staging hub on the Polish-Ukrainian border.
The Rome-based agency is setting up hubs in countries bordering Ukraine to
help in deliveries of food assistance into Ukraine, while helping fleeing
refugees.
Russia and Ukraine agreed on Thursday to humanitarian corridors, eight days
after Russia invaded Ukraine, sending a tide of refugees to Ukraine's western
neighbours.
Reports were coming in of "severe shortages" of food and water in
Kyiv, the capital, and in eastern Kharkiv, WFP said in a statement.
"With consignments of food assistance arriving every day, WFP is in a
race against time to pre-position food in areas where fighting is expected to
flare," it said.
With Russia and Ukraine providing some 29 percent of the global wheat trade,
serious disruptions in production and exports could send food prices -- already
at 10-year highs -- even higher, it said.
"This will erode food security for millions of people, especially those
who are already under stress because of high levels of food inflation in their
countries," said WFP.
It added that higher expected prices could cost the agency between $60
million to $75 million more per month in operational costs.
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