Statements by officials that Ukraine’s grain reserves will be enough for domestic consumption for several years ignore some important points, notes ProAgro Group.
First of all, the reserves that are in the territories temporarily occupied by the enemy are taken into account, but only after the liberation of these territories it will be possible to assess their real volume and condition, in particular, their suitability for consumption.
Secondly, most grain elevators in Ukraine have never been focused on the long-term storage of grain: their technological regulations are designed for the processing and subsequent transshipment of grain within a few months. Many companies will not be able to change them and promptly move to a different one for quite objective reasons.
In particular, Sergiy Shcherban, Deputy Director General of Sol AGRO LLC, wrote about it in his column in AgroTimes.
“Taking into account the reduction of logistical capacities under the war conditions, at the enterprises that are located in the temporarily occupied territories or where there are active military operations, the quality of about 10-15% of the grain will decrease. And this is assuming that the war ends right now. If the war continues into the summer, the pests will do their work and we will not be able to do anything with improvised means. Correspondingly, the quality and volume of grain will drop drastically”, – said the specialist.
