WFP taps India for 200,000 tonnes of rice as global hunger worsens
Live MintNew Delhi: The World Food Programme has sought 200,000 tonnes of rice for its humanitarian operations from India, the largest exporter of the commodity, amid what it called “catastrophic levels” of global food insecurity triggered by the covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war, two people aware of the development said. The request comes after the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal, crucial for the global supply, collapsed last month as Russia withdrew stating the deal no longer justified its humanitarian purpose. Global food prices surged further after India restricted rice exports following Russia’s move. The official cited above said global food prices are high and availability is a major concern with grain movement restricted from Russia and Ukraine.