Global grain trade redrawn by conflict

FILE PHOTO: Ears of wheat are seen in a field near the village of Hrebeni in Kyiv region, Ukraine July 17, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

LONDON: Across Ukraine’s farm belt, silos are bursting with 15 million tonnes of corn from the autumn harvest, most of which should have been hitting world markets.

The stockpiles – about half the corn Ukraine had been expected to export for the season –have become increasingly difficult to get to buyers, providing a glimpse into the turmoil Russia’s war has wrought in the approximately US$120bil (RM506bil) global grains trade.