Russia’s threat to pull out of Ukraine grain deal raises fears about global food security

By COURTNEY BONNELL
AP Business Writer

LONDON (AP) — Concerns are growing that Russia won’t extend a United Nations-brokered deal that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to parts of the world struggling with hunger. Ships are no longer heading to the war-torn country’s Black Sea ports, and shipments have dwindled. The deal originally reached last summer to ease a global food crisis is up for renewal Monday, and Russian officials say there are no grounds for extending it. They’ve threatened it before, insisting an agreement to facilitate their food and fertilizer shipments hasn’t been applied. But data shows Moscow has been exporting record amounts of wheat. The U.N. is striving to keep the fragile deal intact, with Ukraine to benefit Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.