Members of the federal government have strongly condemned Russian attacks on Ukrainian agriculture. President Vladimir Putin is unscrupulously using Ukraine’s wheat reserves, said Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens). Farmers would be forced to sell reserves at ridiculous prices – or “Putin’s soldiery” would simply take the supplies. “By the way, there are three words for this in the constitutional state: extortion, theft and robbery.” Until the beginning of the war, Ukraine was one of the major wheat exporters to countries in North Africa and Asia, among others. According to the World Bank, the majority of exports that are shipped via ports on the Black Sea have come to a standstill as a result of the war. Özdemir said around 20 million tons of wheat were still stored in Ukraine. “But I’m afraid not for long.” According to Ukrainian sources, at least 400,000 tons have disappeared from storage facilities. Hundreds of thousands of tons were destroyed by the Russian army.
Agriculture – Özdemir condemns Russia – Economy
