Ukraine "Lost 25% of Farmland Since Russian Invasion"... Food Crisis Intensifies

One-Quarter of Cultivated Land Three Times the Size of South Korea Disappears
14 Million Refugees... Severe Labor Shortage in Cultivated Areas

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Ukrainian government has announced that the cultivated land in Ukraine has decreased by more than a quarter due to the war following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Amid a global food crisis, it is expected to take several years to restore the cultivated land, raising concerns about severe hunger in the Middle East and Africa.

According to AFP on the 13th (local time), Taras Vysotsky, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine, stated at a local press conference, "The area of corn cultivation decreased from 55,000 km² last year to 46,000 km²," adding, "Due to Russia's blockade of the Black Sea, grain exports have also been hit, causing farmers to face double hardships such as having to change the types of crops they sow."

Ukraine, the world's fourth-largest grain exporter, had a cultivated land area of about 300,000 km² before the Russian invasion, which is approximately three times the size of South Korea. However, Ukrainian authorities estimate that more than 75,000 km² of cultivated land has been destroyed since the invasion. Minister Vysotsky, however, predicted that there would be no food shortage crisis, saying, "Many citizens have relocated to other regions within the country or fled abroad to avoid fighting, so there will be no problem with national food security." He added, "Thanks to good preparation in advance, such as farmers purchasing about 70% of the fertilizers and 60% of crop protection agents needed to prevent pests before the invasion, the damage could be minimized."

Along with the destruction of cultivated land, a severe labor shortage in major agricultural areas due to the large-scale displacement of refugees is also reported. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that the total number of Ukrainian refugees generated by the Russian invasion, including internal migrants and those crossing borders, reaches 14 million.

Accordingly, as Ukraine's grain harvest is expected to decrease significantly, the United Nations forecasts that Ukraine's agricultural production this year will decline by 20% compared to previous years. Furthermore, with even the harvested grain facing export difficulties, international grain prices continue to soar daily. Since the Russian military has blocked the Black Sea ports, which were major export routes for Ukraine, it is reported that over 20 million tons of grain remain unsold and piled up in containers.