Russia's Black Sea Blockade Threatens Ukraine's Harvest

Ukraine's farmers are facing a crisis as Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports threatens to ruin their harvest. The blockade has halted agricultural exports from Ukraine, which is one of the world's largest producers of wheat, corn, and sunflower seeds.

About 90% of Ukraine's grain exports go through the Black Sea, but now shipments have nearly stopped due to Russian attacks on vessels and port infrastructure. Ukrainian farmers are struggling to sell their crops as no-one is buying, leading to a halt in finances and revenue streams.

Farmer Serhiy Rybalko lost two-thirds of his land when Russia occupied southern Ukraine at the start of the invasion in 2022. He now faces financial disaster as his grain storage is nearly full and he needs to make $447,074 per month during the harvest campaign to service loans, pay wages, and buy fuel.

The blockade has major implications for inflation as record heatwaves and war in the Middle East drive up costs. Ukraine supplies around 6% of the world's wheat and 11% of its corn, with some import-dependent countries facing famine unless supplies arrive on time.