Non-oil-exporting Mid-East countries battle surging food prices

Cost factor: An ear of wheat is seen in Kyiv, Ukraine. The countries which rely heavily on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine are diversifying food imports, increasing food subsidies and lowering food taxes. — Reuters

CAIRO: Policymakers in some non-oil-exporting Middle East countries are racing to bring down surging food costs after their primary food supply chain was disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has exacerbated staple food inflation that had already been steadily rising even before the crisis.

Policies including diversifying food imports, increasing food subsidies and lowering food taxes have been pursued by these countries, which rely heavily on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine and have limited financial resources to respond to rising food costs.