UKRAINE
The Spanish authorities mentioned Tuesday it will quickly ease import controls on corn from Argentina and Brazil to offset potential shortages in animal feed brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Revealed: 16 March 2022 08:33 CET

(FILES) On this file picture taken on September 5, 2019 a harvester works on a corn area at Brazilian cattlebreeder Luiz Medeiros dos Santos’ farm in Ruropolis, Para state, Brazil, within the Amazon rainforest. – Brazil, one of many largest crop producers on the planet, expects to extend its maize exports after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however fears that the battle might make it tough for it to import fertilisers. (Picture by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
“We’ve taken an vital step in lifting these import restrictions,” Agriculture Minister Luis Planas mentioned after the weekly cupboard assembly, including it will “guarantee provides” for livestock breeders involved by war-related shortages.
Spain is a significant purchaser of corn for cattle feed, 1 / 4 of which it usually purchases from Ukraine, the world’s fourth-largest grain exporter.
However provides have been jeopardised by the battle, with Madrid urgent Brussels to ease restrictions on imports from Latin America as a consequence of pesticide residues that are restricted throughout the European Union.
On Friday, the European Fee agreed to permit a short lived easing of the principles for EU member states to be able to ease feed shortages.
Final yr, Ukraine equipped Spain with practically 1.9 million tonnes of maize which is essential for its livestock sector, one of many greatest in Europe.
Many worldwide organisations have expressed alarm in latest days over the impression of the battle in Ukraine — also known as Europe’s bread basket due to its huge grain exports — on international meals provides.
Most grains produced in Ukraine are exported in the summertime and autumn.
Final week, the UN’s World Meals Programme warned that the longer the battle continued, the extra exports can be affected, with a selected impression on Africa.
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