Guterres said that under a UN-brokered deal agreed in Turkey last month to resume Ukraine’s grain exports cut off since Russia’s military operations in Ukraine in February, more than 650,000 metric tons of grain and other food was already being exported.
“The other part of this package deal is the unimpeded access to the global markets of Russian food and fertilizer, which are not subject to sanctions,” Guterres said in Istanbul, where he visited a coordination center overseeing the exports, Global News reported.
He said those countries that imposed sanctions on Russia over its military operations of Ukraine had made clear that the measures did not apply to food and fertilizers, but added there had nevertheless been a “chilling effect” on exports.
“There are a certain number of obstacles and difficulties that need to be overcome in relation to shipping… to insurance and… finance,” he added.
Guterres said the United Nations was working with Washington and the European Union to remove those obstacles.
“Getting more food and fertilizer out of Ukraine and Russia is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices for consumers,” he said.
Russia and Ukraine accounted for around a third of global wheat exports before Russia’s Feb. 24 military operations. Russia is also a major exporter of fertilizer.
MA/PR
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