Reading Time: 2 minutes Moscow | Reuters – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin on Friday accused Ukraine of using a grain export corridor in the Black Sea to launch “terrorist attacks” against Russian interests, including one this week on the Crimean Bridge. Vershinin was addressing a briefing about Russia’s decision on Monday to quit the year-old Black Sea […] Read more
Russian diplomat accuses Ukraine of using Black Sea grain corridor for attacks
Russia says it's negotiating exports of food to countries most in need
Grain shipping deal can operate without Russia, Zelenskyy says
'Blackmail is not allowed for anyone'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Kyiv | Reuters — The Black Sea grain shipment deal must continue and could operate without Russian participation after Moscow’s withdrawal on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukraine, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, was a food source for 400 million people. “Africa has the right to stability. Asia has the right to […] Read more
Ag input firm FMC’s shares tumble after lowering financial targets
Partners 'rapidly reduced inventory levels'
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Shares of FMC Corp. fell more than eight per cent on Monday after the agricultural products supplier cut its outlook for the year on volume declines in most of its major markets. “Towards the end of May, we experienced unforeseen and unprecedented volume declines in three out of our four operating regions, as […] Read more
Russia rejects bank compromise as Black Sea grain deal expiry looms
Collapse of deal could aggravate global food crisis
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Russia on Tuesday restated a demand for its state agricultural bank to be reconnected to the global SWIFT payments system to avert the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal, and said it would not accept a reported compromise proposal. With 13 days remaining until the expiry of the deal, which has allowed […] Read more
EU seen weighing concession to Russian bank over Black Sea deal
New arm of ag bank could connect to SWIFT
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — The European Union is considering a proposal for the Russian Agricultural Bank to set up a subsidiary to reconnect to the global financial network as a sop to Moscow, the Financial Times said on Monday. With the bank under sanctions, the move aims to safeguard the Black Sea grain deal that allows Ukraine […] Read more
Canopy Growth sheds California facility amid liquidity worries
Cannabis producer aims to rein in costs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Canadian pot producer Canopy Growth said on Thursday it has completed the sale of its facility at Modesto, California as part of its divestitures to raise funding amid liquidity concerns. The sale, the fifth such deal since April 1, is part of Canopy’s ongoing efforts to improve liquidity by reining in costs through […] Read more
Australia expects ‘favourable decision’ from China on barley
Heavy tariffs in place since 2020
Reading Time: < 1 minute Sydney | Reuters — Australia is expecting a positive decision over the next two weeks from China to fully settle a dispute over barley tariffs, Trade Minister Don Farrell said Thursday. “We are expecting in the next couple of weeks a favourable decision on the tariffs that has prevented Australian barley going into China,” Farrell […] Read more
Ukraine’s farm output could take 20 years to recover, study suggests
Some crop sectors may recover more quickly
Reading Time: < 1 minute Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine’s agricultural sector could take 20 years or more in parts to recover from the ravages of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to a Kyiv-based research centre. Ukraine is a major global grower and exporter of wheat, corn, sunflower and sunflower oil, but its production has fallen sharply since the war start […] Read more
Kremlin says ammonia pipeline blast negative for Black Sea grain deal
Russia had sought transit for ammonia via Ukraine
Reading Time: 2 minutes Moscow | Reuters — The Kremlin said on Thursday that there would be a “negative impact” on the fate of a Black Sea grain deal from a blast which damaged a pipeline used to export Russian ammonia via Ukraine that Moscow wants restarted. The Togliatti-Odesa pipeline, which once pumped up to 2.5 million tonnes of […] Read more
EU extends restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports
Restrictions won't apply to seed for planting
Reading Time: 2 minutes Warsaw/Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said Monday it was extending until Sept. 15 an arrangement whereby five of Ukraine’s EU neighbours can restrict imports of Ukrainian grain. The EU on May 2 allowed the five countries — Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
