Guterres Says Sees Signs That Global Food Markets Beginning to Stabilize

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday there are indications that global food markets are beginning to stabilize.

"Meanwhile – and critically – we have seen signs that global food markets are beginning to stabilize," Guterres said at a press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lvov.

he parties to the Black Sea grain deal have worked professionally and in good faith to ensure that the foodstuff keeps flowing to global markets, UN chief Antonio Guterres added.

"From day one, the parties have worked professionally and in good faith to keep the food flowing. I appeal for this to continue and for them to overcome all obstacles in a spirit of compromise and permanently settle all difficulties," Guterres told journalists.

Wheat prices have decreased by 8% since the Black Sea grain deal was struck, and the FAO Food Price Index has seen its biggest decline since 2008, the UN Secretary General noted.

"Wheat prices dropped by as much as 8% following the signing of the agreements. The FAO Food Price Index fell by 9% in July - the biggest decline since 2008. Most food commodities are now trading at prices below pre-war levels," Guterres said.

"In less than one month, 21 ships have departed from Ukrainian ports and 15 vessels have left Istanbul for Ukraine to load up with grain and other food supplies," the UN chief highlighted.

"As we speak, more than 560,000 metric tons of grain and other food produced by Ukrainian farmers is making its way to markets around the world," he said.

Speaking about the situation at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Antonio Guterres said that the UN secretariat has logistics and security capacity to support any International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to the site from Kiev if Russia and Ukraine agree.

"In close contact with the IAEA, the UN Secretariat has assessed that we have in Ukraine the logistics and security capacity to support any IAEA mission to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant from Kiev, provided both Russia and Ukraine agree. We must spare no effort to ensure that plant’s facilities or surroundings are not a target of military operations," Guterres told reporters.

He stressed that the facility should not be used for military activities.

"Instead, agreement is urgently needed to reestablish Zaporozhye as purely civilian infrastructure and to ensure the safety of the area," the UN chief added.