Canada will help Ukraine find options on how to export stockpiled grain to maintain global food security that has been rocked by Russia’s invasion of the country, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday night.

Nearly 25 million tonnes of grain are stuck in Ukraine and unable to leave the country due to infrastructure problems and blocked ports on the Black Sea, including Mariupol, an agency official said last week. food from the United Nations.

READ ALSO: Nearly 25 million tons of cereals are trapped in Ukraine, according to the FAO

Food prices hit record highs in March after Russia invaded Ukraine, which was the world’s fourth largest exporter of maize in the 2020/21 season and the sixth largest exporter of wheat. In April, prices fell slightly.

“We know people around the world are going to go hungry because of Russia’s actions,” Trudeau said in an interview with Reuters. “There is grain waiting to be shipped from Ukraine. We must ensure that Russia does not prevent the delivery of grain that the world needs.

Since Moscow launched what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine in late February, Ukraine has been forced to export grain by train across the western border. Kyiv is also looking to use Danube ports in the south of the country to facilitate exports.

Shipping via the Danube could be part of the solution, Trudeau said, without revealing details but adding that several options are being considered. “We’re just looking to solve a very simple problem.”

Analysts have warned that Ukraine will face a major shortage of storage facilities in the 2022/23 season due to a sharp drop in exports.

Trudeau, during an unannounced visit to Ukraine, said after meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday that Canada is providing $25 million to the United Nations World Food Program as part of efforts to maintain food security.

Canada will also remove trade tariffs on all Ukrainian imports into Canada next year.