WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2022) The United States and India are cooperating to deliver more food to the world market and make more fertilizer amid the shortage due to the Ukraine conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
"Our countries are working together to try to bring more food to world markets as well as to the World Food Program," Blinken said on Monday. "The United States is also focused on securing more funding for the World Food Program and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization. And producing more fertilizer so that we can help others sustain crop fields in the future."
The World Food Program has warned that the conflict in Ukraine will lead to spiraling food prices and exacerbating hunger across the world due to disrupted supply chains and derailed crops production. Regions such as Africa and the middle East may suffer the most as they are dependent on inexpensive grain exports, with a total of 811 million people worldwide exposed to the risk of malnutrition.
Ukraine is a key global grain producer, accounting for 9% of the world's wheat exports, 13.5% of corn products and 70% of sunflower products, therefore any disruption in supplies drives prices up, resulting in growing food insecurity across the world.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. In response, the United States and its allies have imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
