The Razoni, in the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, August 3, 2022. (Credit: File photo/Yasin Akgul/AFP)
BEIRUT — With the end of the Ukrainian grain export agreement between Russia and Ukraine, fears about the consequences for imports from Lebanon are resurfacing.
But Hani Bohsali, president of the food importers' union, is offered some reassurance. He said there is no need to fear an interruption to Lebanon's supply of certain foodstuffs, as there are alternative sources of grain imports.
On Monday, Moscow refused to renew the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain. This agreement is crucial for world food supplies, given that Russia and Ukraine are the two main suppliers of wheat.
In 2022, Russia and Ukraine accounted for 86.11 percent of wheat imports into Lebanon: 76.72 percent from Ukraine and 9.39 percent from Russia.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky declared his determination to continue exporting grain via the Black Sea, with or without Moscow's agreement on ship safety.
"We are not afraid," declared Zelensky.
Prices likely to rise
In a statement published on Thursday, Bohsali said the quantities of grain imported into Lebanon from Ukraine are small compared with other countries. The ships carrying the goods are therefore small enough to avoid leaving the ports subject to the blockade imposed by Russia on Ukrainian vessels.
Last year, Lebanon was supplied from the ports of Reni and Izmail, which were not subject to Russian inspection, both being located on the Danube's natural border with Romania.
While he was reassuring about the implications for Lebanon, Bohsali warned that the end of the agreement "will have a negative impact on world markets, leading to higher prices for many products, particularly wheat and oils."
These tensions are reminiscent of the twists and turns in wheat deliveries to Lebanon in 2022.
The ship carrying the first shipment of grain exported by Ukraine since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, was due to arrive in the port of Tripoli on Aug. 7, 2022. Everything was ready to welcome it. The Ukrainian embassy had even planned a ceremony at the port.
However, the buyer withdrew at the last minute due to a five-month "delivery delay," fueling rumors of Russian pressure on the exports.
