russians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine have harvested millions of tons of crops this year. This was reported by UNN with reference to the NASA Food Security and Agriculture Program.
Details
In particular, in 2023, the occupied regions of Ukraine harvested 6.4 million tons of wheat and 1.5 million tons of sunflower seeds. These volumes of grain are not taken into account in industry reports and may affect market prices.
We are talking about a huge amount of grain. It is absolutely important that this information is transparent, and that it tells us how much food is being harvested and produced
According to her, the assessment of the value and losses of grain grown in the occupied territories is also important for Ukraine's potential reparations claims against russia.
The challenge is not only to accurately determine the volume of crops grown, but also to reliably track grain supplies, particularly if they are mixed with Russian grain.
Large traders decided to refrain from buying grain directly from russian farmers, but this could still lead to a mixing of grain from the largest wheat suppliers.
Addendum
NASA's Harvest study shows that about 7% of agricultural land in Ukraine was abandoned this year, especially along the front line. This data will help us understand how war and extreme weather affect production in other countries around the world.
It is important for Ukraine to have transparent information about the crops grown, as this is relevant to food security and is important for policy-making.
However, in the case of the occupied regions of Ukraine, there is great uncertainty about the status of agriculture, including the lack of reliable data on production.
Ukraine cannot solve this problem on its own; it is the responsibility of the international community and global institutions to ensure that grain originating from the occupied territories is checked and controlled.
In addition, determining the origin of russian exports is also a challenge, as it is advisable to control their production and supply to avoid mishandling and legal risks
Recall
During the attacks on Ukrainian ports , the occupiers destroyed about 280 tons of grain per month. These figures were announced by the British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Vurvod at the latest UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.