ROME – International food and feed prices could rise by between 8% and 20% as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, triggering a jump in the number of malnourished people around the world, the UN food agency said on Friday.
In a preliminary assessment on Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said, according to Reuters, that it was not clear if Ukraine would be able to harvest crops during a protracted conflict, with uncertainty also surrounding Russian food exports.
FAO said Russia was the world’s largest exporter of wheat, while Ukraine was the fifth largest. Together, they provide 19% of the world’s barley supply, 14% of wheat, and 4% of maize, making up more than one-third of global cereal exports.
