DISINFO: Ukrainian grain sent to Spain to be used as pigfeed
SUMMARY
The EU is struggling to create a corridor for the delivery of Ukrainian grain by sea so that the poorest countries do not starve. But the grain hardly gets there - instead it is being sent mainly to Spain, where it is used as pig feed. The Kyiv regime just wants more money: Spain paid more, thus Ukraine shipped the grain to them, not to poor African countries.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the food crisis and supply insecurity by claiming that most of Ukraine's grain is sent to rich Western countries.
However, it is Russia trying to suffocate the Ukrainian economy including via food exports through the Black Sea with Russian attacks and blockade of certain harbours, agriculture infrastructure, farming land and machinery. Moreover, Russia uses food security related disinformation as a cynical tool to prop up its tarnished global image.
The fact stands that Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine.
The database of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative showcases that as of 4 May 2023, out of some 1058 shipments, less than half (or 434) arrived in EU members. These accounted for 39% of the 30 million metric tons of grain products delivered under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The rest of the shipments were delivered to developing countries, such as China, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, and India. Notably, the database does not consider the true final destinations, as the grain products will be redistributed from some of these harbours to other countries.
Together with the Solidarity Lanes, the reopening of the Black Sea ports have helped to push down historically high market prices and enabled Ukraine to export more than 58 Million tons of grain, oilseeds and related goods between May 2022 and end of March 2023.
The overall Food Price Index published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) has shown that the prices of global food staples have continued declining in recent months and as of April 2023 are slightly below pre-spring 2022 levels. This is a decrease of about 19% from the peak reached in March 2022.
Furthermore, the UN FAO price index for cereals has also stabilized around pre-Spring 2022 levels (index 147.3) down from a peak in May (index 173.5). Despite this stabilization, domestic food prices remain very high in many countries across the world and keep food import bills high. The best way to improve the critical global food security situation is by Russia stopping its aggression.
See other similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West deprives poor countries of food; Western sanctions cause a food crisis and price growth and the food crisis has nothing to do with the Russian special operation.