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UN chief calls for bringing Russian, Ukrainian food products to global markets

Antonio Guterres pointed out that all governments and the private sector needed to cooperate to bring Russian food and fertilizer to market

UNITED NATIONS, August 19. /TASS/. It is crucial to ensure unimpeded access to the global markets for food products and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to the Ukrainian city of Odessa on Friday.

"Getting more food and fertilizer out of Ukraine and Russia is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices. But let’s not forget that what we see here in Odessa is only the more visible part of the solution. The other part that is also important, that we have been defending, relates to the unimpeded access to the global markets of Russian food and fertilizer, which are not subject to sanctions. It is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring them to market," Guterres pointed out.

"Without fertilizer in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023. I am deeply committed to those objectives, but it will only happen if all parties cooperate," he added.

The UN chief also noted that over 600,000 tonnes of food products had been exported from Ukrainian ports since the launch of a grain export mechanism.

On Friday, Guterres visited the port of Odessa from where food products are exported.