LAST UPDATE | 20 Aug 2022

THE FIRST SHIPMENT of grain to Ireland, from Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia last February, has arrived into Foynes Port, Co Limerick, today, with the former Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea stating he hoped it may potentially help pave the way for “peace” in Ukraine.

The Panama-flagged Navi Star left Odessa Port on 5 August carrying 33,000 tonnes of grain to be used by Irish farmers for animal feed as part of maiden trade voyages out of Ukraine under a UN-backed deal lifting Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea.

Two other vessels that left the Ukraine port of Chornmorsk, were bound for Britain and Turkey, with 24,000 tonnes of grain between them.

The sailing of the Navi Star to Ireland on behalf of the Cork-based grain and feed company R&H Hall, is seen as a positive milestone for the global grain supply chain which has been in crisis due to the war.

Welcoming the cargo ship to Foynes, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko said she was “happy that Ireland is among the first countries to receive Ukrainian corn by sea, as Ireland strongly supports Ukraine and is a true friend of the Ukrainian people”.

Ms Gerasko said Ireland had taken “extraordinary steps to provide a safe haven for our nationals fleeing the war, and this shipment of 33 thousand tons of corn will lift the burden of uncertainty from the Irish farmers – they have been waiting for their kettle’s food since the beginning of the full-scale war unleashed by Russia against my country”.

The Ukrainian ambassador said Ukraine’s resumption of agricultural exports, since 1 August, had already “significantly helped to drive down (world) food prices, by 8.6% in July from June and by 14.5% in August”, and also would “help lessen the war’s negative effect on the Ukrainian economy”.

She argued Ukraine would fulfill “all of its obligations” under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, but she stressed global food security would only be maintained “if Russia also sticks to the initiative’s provisions”.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Dublin shared claims Russia has already committed “food terrorism” by “purposefully destroying our agricultural infrastructure and stealing Ukrainian grain and agricultural machinery”.

“The missile strikes of Russian troops damaged and destroyed many farms, stocks of food and seeds, silos, warehouses, oil depots,” it added.

Former defence minister, Willie O’Dea, said he was “delighted the deal to allow grain exports leave Ukraine is still holding” and he said he hoped it might signal the “start” of a potential peace deal in Ukraine.

“For months grain supplies were held up in the ports in Ukraine and they couldn’t get out, and maybe [this] signifies that it is possible, the reality of a peace deal,” said the Limerick Fianna Fáil TD.

“It might be a small indication that it may be possible for some sort of peace deal to be worked out in the not too distant future, because for all sorts of reasons, mainly humanitarian and what’s happening to the unfortunate people out there.

“And also, what it is doing to the world economy, which of course bears down hardest on the poorest, an when you look at the possibility of hunger in various parts of the world, for example in Afghanistan and in Ethiopia, it has huge ramifications,” added Mr O’Dea.

The Limerick TD said Ireland is too over-reliant on grain exports, and he agreed the government should focus on providing more support for a stronger indigenous cereals sector: “Absolutely, absolutely, we are too over-reliant on investment overall and getting grain, and we should be doing more for indigenous industry and more for grain growing by farmers.

“This [war] shows us how fragile the whole thing is — you take Germany for example, they got addicted to cheap Russian gas and they made no effort to get away from it, and now they are scrambling.”

Philip Lynch, senior trader with R&H Hall, thanked the captain and crew of the Navi Star for making the journey to Ireland, “having made an extraordinary effort since originally planning to leave Ukraine in February, and we hope that it is the first step in returning some degree of certainty to the global food supply chain in what remains a volatile situation”.

Ms Gerasko said Russia’s war on Ukraine was the “cause of a global food crisis that could bring serious political and economic consequences”.

She said the war was affecting “about 25% off the world cereal trade, causing food inflation, and rescued access to food” in some countries.

On 16 August, bulk carrier Brave Commander left Pivdennyi, Ukraine, with 23,000 tons of wheat and food aid for Ethiopia, as part of a UN-led effort to help countries at risk of famine.