COCERAL urges support for Ukraine

(Posted on 08/03/22)

The European association representing the trade in commodities such as cereals, rice feedstuffs and agrosupply value their with the people at the Ukrainian Grain Association and are urging support.

Companies in the sectors represented by COCERAL are taking steps to ensure the security of their employees on the ground and seek to help where they can. They also have to continue honouring their contracts, conscious that the importance of Ukraine’s supply of agricultural raw materials and ingredients to the EU is such, that our inability to import from that country will create severe shortages, both for the feed and food industries.

“COCERAL and our members are profoundly affected by the war raging in Ukraine and the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the country due to the Russian Federation's unprovoked invasion,” said a statement.

“We wish to support our partners in the Ukrainian grain industry, some of whom have lost their jobs, income, homes, and even loved ones over the last week. We value our relationship with people at the Ukrainian Grain Association, and can completely endorse their request. We know any donations here will be well spent, and used to support those who need it the most.

We can all do our part, and appreciate the chance to make a difference, industry to industry.”

The Black Sea region represents an important supply of grains and oilseed products for the world market. Ukraine in particular exports about 60 million tonnes of grain to the world. It was expected in the current marketing year that Ukraine would export about 33 million tonnes of corn and 24 million tonnes of wheat. For Europe, maize represents the main imported product from Ukraine with a yearly average of 11 million tonnes, but also other commodities such as sunflower oil, with about 2 million tonnes