Russia-Ukraine conflict will trigger food riots in Middle East, warn international analysts

London: – The Russia-Ukraine conflict affects food grain prices in the international markets. The prices of legumes along with wheat have sky-rocketed. This could lead to Arab Spring-like violence, riots and instability in certain countries. Analysts claimed that these would include Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, Turkey, and Bangladesh.

Moreover, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe are dependent on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. 14% of the total legumes exported globally are from Russia and Ukraine. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are leaders even in producing the fertilisers required in the agricultural sector. Harvesting of crops begins in Russia and Ukraine from the last week of February. But given the Russia-Ukraine conflict in the last few days, both countries’ agriculture systems have collapsed. Western countries have imposed sanctions on the Russian agriculture sector, banning agricultural imports from Russia. International analysts and think tanks have warned that the combined effect of all this is evident in both countries’ food grain exports.

A leading US news channel said that the Arab Spring situation in the Arab-Gulf countries from 2011 was not significantly different from the current scenario. The US news channel claimed that food grain prices today are at the same levels as the Arab Spring times. Therefore, analysts are warning that riots like the Arab Spring could be triggered in the Arab countries Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, dependent on wheat and legume imports from Russia and Ukraine.

This conflict will certainly affect Pakistan and Turkey, grappling with social instability since the last year. Both these countries are dependent on the wheat coming from Ukraine. Moreover, Ukraine is called the ‘Bread Basket’ of the European countries. Therefore, analysts have pointed out that not only in the Arab countries but riots for food could also be triggered in the Asian and European countries. Meanwhile, Germany has convened a special meeting of the agriculture ministers of the G7 countries, given the crisis created due to the conflict.