‘Ukraine to create state food reserve:’ Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

Ukraine’s government will create a food reserve big enough to feed the country’s people and armed forces during the Russian invasion, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said late on Wednesday, according to the government press service.

“The state will redeem grain and other stocks in the volumes of annual consumption by the whole country at the expense of the state budget,” the press service quoted Shmyhal as saying.

“This will provide the country with enough food,” Shmyhal said, without providing additional details.

Ukraine is a major global food producer and exporter, but agriculture analysts have said the invasion by Russia – which calls its actions a “special operation” – could sharply reduce the area sown for 2022’s grain harvest, creating shortages for the rest of the world as well as Ukraine.

The country, which traditionally starts spring field planting preparations in late February or early March, has said farmers will start sowing in safe areas, but could face a shortage of fuel and seeds.