> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://goodoil.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # When You Kick the Bread Basket of Europe We All Feel It - URL: https://goodoil.news/when-you-kick-the-bread-basket-of-europe-we-all-feel-it/ - Published: 2022-03-15T19:30:00.000Z - Updated: 2022-03-15T06:15:33.000Z - Author: Guest Post - Tags: Politics, World, World Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-17 01:12 **David Ubilava** [University of Sydney](https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841?ref=goodoil.news) *David Ubilava is a Senior Lecturer of Economics at the University of Sydney. His research interests are in commodity markets and price analysis.* --- Russia and Ukraine between them account for almost [a quarter](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/wheat?ref=goodoil.news) of the world’s wheat exports. Russia and Ukraine are also big exporters of maize (corn), barley, and other grains that much of the world relies on to make food. Wheat alone accounts for an estimated [20%](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264675389%5FFeeding%5Fhumanity%5Fthrough%5Fglobal%5Ffood%5Ftrade?ref=goodoil.news) of human calorie consumption. --- --- Since the start of February, as war became more likely, the grains and oilseed [price index](https://www.igc.int/en/markets/marketinfo-goi.aspx?ref=goodoil.news) compiled by the International Grains Council has jumped 17%. The big drivers have been jumps of 28% in the price of [wheat](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/wheat?ref=goodoil.news), 23% in the price of [maize](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/maize-corn-flour?ref=goodoil.news) and 22% in the price of [barley](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/barley-2100300?ref=goodoil.news). Russia and Ukraine account for [one fifth](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/barley-2100300?ref=goodoil.news) of the world’s barley exports. Maize is a common substitute for wheat and barley. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/31/f4/31f4e20a-0315-499e-83ff-139e8eab53bf/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/screen-shot-2022-03-15-at-7.13.20-pm.png) --- Russia and Ukraine are also enormous producers of sunflower oil, between them accounting for around [70%](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/sunflower-seed-or-safflower-oil-crude?ref=goodoil.news) of global exports. Among the world’s biggest wheat importers are [Egypt](https://oec.world/en/profile/hs92/wheat?ref=goodoil.news), along with its North African neighbours Algeria and Nigeria, one of the world’s [poorest](https://theconversation.com/nigerias-poverty-profile-is-grim-its-time-to-move-beyond-handouts-163302?ref=goodoil.news) nations. Indonesia, Turkey and the Philippines are also big importers. Supplies from Russia might come through – and Russia is in [desperate need](https://theconversation.com/russian-sanctions-are-biting-harder-than-imagined-and-itll-get-worse-178322?ref=goodoil.news) of foreign exchange. But Ukraine’s ports are closed, transport infrastructure is disrupted and might not be working when harvest season begins in July, and barley planting would normally begin about now. #### Rationing and riots have happened before Sudden shortages and price hikes will hit poor countries and their poorest citizens hard. Low income households spend far more of their income on [staples](https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-020-00654-5?ref=goodoil.news) such as bread than high income households. The effects will flow through to meat and egg prices, as cereal grains are used as feed of livestock and poultry production. Throughout history, violence and unrest have flowed from hikes in commodity prices. [Egypt](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-bread-riots-protests-erupt-after-subsidy-cut-hits-poor?ref=goodoil.news) was racked with bread riots and rationing in 2017\. [Kazakhstan](https://www.detailedpedia.com/wiki-2022%5FKazakh%5Fprotests?ref=goodoil.news) suffered massive protests in January after a spike in liquefied gas prices. Humanitarian organisations are set to face greater calls for food aid, which will be more expensive to provide. Fortunately, the big southern hemisphere wheat producers, Australia and Argentina, have produced [bumper crops](https://daff.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en%5FAU/search/asset/1033304/0?ref=goodoil.news). The value of Australian wheat production is set to hit an [all-time high](https://daff.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en%5FAU/search/asset/1033304/0?ref=goodoil.news). But food supply chains and global stability are certain to be tested. It will take a village to stop this war and mitigate its repercussions. The rich and powerful of the village should do all they can to hold it together. [David Ubilava](https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-ubilava-1181215?ref=goodoil.news), Senior Lecturer of Economics, *[University of Sydney](https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841?ref=goodoil.news)* This article is republished from [The Conversation](https://theconversation.com/?ref=goodoil.news) under a Creative Commons license. Read the [original article](https://theconversation.com/russias-war-on-ukraine-is-driving-up-wheat-prices-and-threatens-global-supplies-of-bread-meat-and-eggs-178879?ref=goodoil.news). [If you enjoyed this article please share it using the share buttons at the top or bottom of the article.](#) [If you would like to access exclusive Member content or just remove the ads to make your reading experience more enjoyable click here to browse our Membership options.](https://thebfd.co.nz/subscription-plans/?ref=2)