WFP issue hunger warning if Ukraine ports stay shut

Ten weeks into the conflict in Ukraine, the world is struggling to cope with another problem - the unexpected effects of the disruption in wheat, maize and sunflower oil exports from Ukraine.Due to fighting, ports are closed along the Black Sea so wheat cannot be loaded onto ships and has remained sitting in silos.

David Beasley, Executive Director, WFP said "This grain feeds around 400 million people around the world and these ports are shut down because of this war. We need to get the ports open, operational otherwise we are going to have catastrophe on top of catastrophe. Millions of people around the world starving to death and we need these ports open and we need it now."

Ukraine and Russia account for a third of global wheat and barley exports, leaving millions across North Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia facing the potential loss of access to the affordable supplies they need for bread and noodles.The conflict has raised the specter of food shortages and political instability in countries reliant on Ukraine wheat including Ethiopia, Yemen and Lebanon.