Moscow provided Khartoum with 20,000 tons of wheat: Sudanese minister

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Sudan has expanded its farmland, which helped mitigate the damage caused by spiking global wheat prices, Sudanese Acting Minister of Cabinet Affairs Osman Hussein Osman told Sputnik.

According to the Sudanese minister, his country has not suffered much from the consequences of the crisis since it is an agricultural country.

At an international economic summit in Russia's Kazan, Osman explained that "After we learned that there was not enough wheat, we expanded the areas for crops. Therefore, the crisis did not affect us as much as the neighboring Arab countries, but the rise in oil prices had an effect on us," adding that electricity costs jumped the most.

Osman mentioned that Russia is currently providing technical assistance to Sudan through the Food and Agriculture Organization so that Khartoum can defeat desert locusts, which are significantly affecting crop harvests in the country and the Horn of Africa.

The minister also noted that Moscow also provided Khartoum with 20,000 tons of wheat in humanitarian aid.

According to Tomson Phiri, UN World Food Program spokesperson, the war in Ukraine may result in higher food prices and global hunger, as the Black Sea basin is one of the most important regions for the production of grain and agricultural products.

Given that Ukraine and Russia account for 30% of global exports of wheat, 20% of global exports of maize, and 76% of sunflower, any disruption in their production or supplies could lead to higher prices.