Putin says Russia to be 'more prudent' with food exports to 'hostile' countries amid war

Russian President Vlimir Putin on Tuesday said that Moscow would be more prudent this year in exporting food, especially to "hostile" countries. According to news ncy Xinhua, Putin ackwledged  global food short prevailing this year before, ding that Moscow will be more selective in country’s own supplies abro. During a meeting to support country’s agricultural sector, Putin said that Moscow would “carefully monitor” parameters of exports to countries that have “hostile” policies towards Russia.

"This year, against backdrop of a global food short, we will have to be more prudent in our food supplies abro, namely, to carefully monitor parameters of such exports to countries that are clearly hostile towards us," Putin said, according to report. 

ditionally, Russian President said that “increased production volumes make it possible to ensure food prices in Russia are lower than on world market”. According to him, food self-sufficiency is Russia's competitive vant and nation must try to safeguard ṭhe citizens from price fluctuations in global food market, as per report.

Russia is world's largest wheat producer

It is pertinent to te here that Russia is world’s largest wheat exporter. During last agricultural year which ended on June 30, 2021, Russia exported 49 million tons of grain, including 38.4 million tons of wheat, stated Interfax ncy. Russia launched its so-called military operation in Ukraine on February 24 and it was followed by West ramping up measures against Moscow and imposing sanctions. With a slew of companies suspending operations in Russia, US and EU imposing sanctions and introducing ditional tariffs against Moscow, global supply chains are drastically shifting. 

Amid tensions, US President Joe Biden has said just last week that a food short is “gonna be real” following sanctions placed on Russia by his government in wake of Russia-Ukraine war. During press conference at a NATO summit in Brussels following meeting with world leers, Biden said, "With regard to food short, yes we did talk about food shorts, and it's gonna be real… price of sanctions is t just imposed upon Russia…It’s imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well."

(Im: AP)