Tyler, Texas (KLTV)-Some of the places where Russia’s attack on Ukraine affects East Texas are grocery stores.
Ukraine is a major player in agriculture and is said to be part of the richest soil on the planet. On Wednesday, the Ukrainian government banned exports of rye, barley, buckwheat, sugar, salt and meat until the end of the year.
“When considering the impact of the war in Ukraine, we are talking about the impact on the world food chain and the world’s food supply,” said Gary Joiner, director of communications at the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Joiner said the flag symbolizes Ukraine because agriculture is so important to Ukraine. The blue and yellow flags represent the golden wheat fields under the clear blue sky.
“The big crops we all associate with Ukraine are vegetable oils like wheat, corn and sunflowers,” Joiner said. “These are the country’s major exports. Their exports have been suspended. Due to the effects of the war, these crops may not be produced this spring.”
Joiner said Texas people could expect a spillover effect on increased food costs due to these shortages, but said the biggest impact would be felt abroad.
“Of course, the more dramatic impact is in Europe, and it’s possible that food is actually scarce,” he said.
Dr. Mark Welch, economist at Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service, said wheat is one of the most likely products to be affected. He said that from a food security perspective, the United States usually exports about half of the wheat produced domestically, so that shouldn’t be a problem. However, he said the overall impact on the global market would lead to higher prices in grocery stores.
“Ukraine and Russia together in the current marketing year are expected to account for just under 30% of the world’s wheat exports,” Welch said. “If you look at the value of wheat in a typical loaf, you can say that 10% of that value comes from the wheat in that loaf. To get it from the farm to the grocery store. Everything else you need contributes much more to the overall price. “
And it’s not only that consumers are in pain, but also Texas farmers and ranchers who have already dealt with rising prices before the war began.
“One of the most dependent inputs for Texas farmers and ranchers is fertilizer,” Joiner said. “And they are, in some cases, directly linked to Russia, Ukraine and those parts of Europe where some of their ingredients and fertilizers are produced.”
Also, the cost of fertilizer is already 300-400% higher than this time last year, so Joiner said the price could be even higher due to the ongoing war.
“It’s a delicate situation,” he said. “Many people are concerned if these prices don’t stabilize right away. 2022 can be very difficult for Texas farmers and ranchers.”
Copyright 2022K LTV. all rights reserved.
