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Russia not projecting world hunger, can see grain prices falling

Dmitry Birichevsky said that Russian grain was being delivered across the globe, with Ukrainian grain also being exported actively from Black Sea ports

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Global grain prices have been steadily falling in recent months, which reduces the threat of a world hunger, Dmitry Birichevsky, head of the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Russian Foreign Ministry, told the Rossiya-24 television on Wednesday.

"I don’t think there is a threat of a global hunger, all the more so since grain prices have been declining steadily over the past few months, mostly owing to the agreements reached between Russia, the United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine," he assured.

The diplomat said Russian grain was being delivered across the globe, with Ukrainian grain also being exported actively from Black Sea ports. "The only problem is that not all [of the grain] is reaching countries that truly need it, as it gets stuck somewhere in Europe or in quite rich nations," he lamented.

"And yet there a risk energy prices could rise significantly which would reduce the competitiveness of European industries, and there are inflationary risks, too. <…> However, we are also continuing to work with our partners, with those who are ready to work with us," Birichevsky emphasized, saying that Russia and the other BRICS countries would hopefully contribute to a more stable world economy.

Russia is also set to establish stable relations for settlement in national currencies or for building a new model of cooperation "that would be independent of any political will", he pledged.

A package of documents addressing the problem of food and fertilizer supplies to global markets was signed in Istanbul on July 22. One of the agreements envisages procedures for exporting grain from Ukraine-controlled ports on the Black Sea. Under a deal inked between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, a four-party coordination center was established in Istanbul to inspect vessels with grain so as to thwart any arms trafficking or provocations. The Razoni bulk carrier was the first ship loaded with agricultural products to depart from Odessa on August. Between August 1 and August 15, 563,317 tonnes of food were exported from Ukraine.

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