INDEED... food prices have been soaring... even higher... in recent days... especially
amid...
Russia's war in Ukraine... and its resulting repercussions... on international order...
and security.
For more...
I have Professor MATIN QAIM... at the University of BONN... over in Germany...
LIVE on the LINE.
Professor QAIM... it's a pleasure... to have you... with us.
NOW... before...
we delve... into our talk... let's first... take a moment... to listen... to remarks...
by the HEAD of the European Commission... and... the Russian president...
with regard... to soaring food prices.
Do take a listen.
"Today Russia's artillery is bombarding grain warehouses in Ukraine, deliberately.
And Russian war ships in the Black Sea are blockading Ukrainian ships full of wheat and
sunflower seeds.
The consequences of these shameful acts are there for everyone to see.
Global wheat prices are skyrocketing, and it's the fragile countries and vulnerable
populations that suffer the most.
Bread prices in Lebanon have increased 70%, and food shipments from Odesa could not reach
Somalia.
And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail,
holding back supplies to increase global prices of trading wheat in exchange for political
support.
This is using hunger and grain to wield power."
"Russia, while ensuring its internal food security, its interior market, is ready to
significantly increase its export of food and fertilisers.
For example, we are ready to increase supplies of grain to up to 50 million tonnes.
We will prioritise supplies to countries in the direst need of food and where there is
the risk of an increase in the number of those starving, namely Africa and Middle East countries."
"Regarding, and I can't ignore this topic as there's lots of speculations about it,
the Ukrainian food supply - we're not disrupting it, for God's sake."
RIGHT... that was Mr. Putin... this past Friday...
speaking...
at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum... where... he DENIED...
Russia's role... in pushing up... global food prices.
Those remarks...
follow...
EARLIER ACCUSATIONS... by URSULA VON DER LEYEN... the head... of the European Commission...
during a speech...
at the World Economic Forum... late May...
DURING WHICH...
she claimed...
Putin was using...
HUNGER and GRAIN... to "wield power".
1) Now... then...
Professor Qaim... pundits say... global food prices were hitting... record levels...
EVEN BEFORE...
Russia invaded Ukraine.
Do you agree?
And if so... how do you explain it?
2) So simply speaking...
Professor Qaim...
Russia's war in Ukraine has been AGGRAVATING... an already existing global challenge... in
terms... of food prices.
That being said... then...
how severe is the current situation?
I mean...
EU officials claim... the consequences... of blocked food exports... from Ukraine...
can DEVASTATE MILLIONS worldwide.
Do you share...
this outlook?
3) Professor Qaim... does this bleak reality look... to affect... supermarket shelves...
in Europe?
Why
or why not?
4) Professor Qaim... it has been said that food systems are critical components... of
disaster preparedness... and resilience planning.
How should countries in Europe and South Korea... for its part... look to strengthen food security?
5) Beyond food...
Professor Qaim... how does the surging cost of FERTILIZER...
look... to affect... us... broadly speaking?
6) Professor Qaim... what more can you tell us... about rising consumer prices... in Europe?
(Inflation prospects?)
7) Meanwhile... regarding efforts to rein in inflation...
in the long term... would you say...
it's wiser (for a lack of better word)... to risk... recession...
over inflation?
(U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has been accused of risking recession as he
aggressively responds to the country's inflation.)
All
right