Vladimir Fedorchenko and his wife Lyubov are expecting a good harvest this year on their farm in southern Russia, but the couple are worried due to a nationwide fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries.
Fuel Crisis and Naval Hostilities
The fuel crisis has led to a spike in the price of diesel, which the couple needs for their tractors and harvesters. Additionally, the latest military escalation in the Sea of Azov has restricted shipping, causing offers to buy the farm’s grain to dry up.
Lyubov says, ‘Everything is at a standstill. Barley – on halt. Wheat – on halt… We desperately need money now. We need to sell the harvest and buy diesel fuel, fertiliser.’ The couple’s problems highlight the disruption to farmers in Russia, the world’s top wheat exporter, from Ukraine’s intensified campaign of strikes against energy infrastructure and naval hostilities in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
Russia and Ukraine have struck dozens of each other’s ships in the past week, including tankers and cargo vessels. Ukraine has stepped up its long-range strikes inside Russia, focusing on refineries, to cripple Moscow’s war effort and force an end to the conflict.
Impact on Russian Farmers
Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut acknowledged fuel concerns in all regions and promised farmers that the state would ensure they receive the fuel they need. Andrey Sizov from the SovEcon Black Sea research consultancy said, ‘If there is no military solution to open up the Sea of Azov, and the situation drags on for most of the second half of the year, Russia could fall short of supplying the global market by 5 to 10 million tons of wheat.’
The financial pressure on farmers could lead them to reduce the amount of land sown with grain, extending a trend that has been unfolding since 2022. The Fedorchenkos described the situation as very difficult, with Lyubov saying, ‘It’s getting worse and worse every year… There is a harvest, but there’s no way to sell it.’
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
