There is currently no reason to increase household food reserves because of Russian strikes on warehouse infrastructure, since no long-term food shortage is expected in Ukraine, Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotsky said at a briefing Thursday.
"Nothing has changed about what you need to have under wartime conditions… You need to have a minimum reserve… There’s no reason to have more than a month’s supply," Vysotsky said.
There are currently no threats to food supply comparable to 2022, though logistics restructuring could cause certain delivery delays, the minister said.
He added that the recommended baseline stockpile — enough food for a month’s consumption — remains the standard guidance under wartime conditions, with its exact composition depending on the needs of a given person or family.
At the same time, Vysotsky said the restructuring of logistics due to damaged warehouse infrastructure could push up food prices by about 2.5% nationwide. This is a general macroeconomic estimate across all food categories, he said, though the price of individual products may change differently.
Excluding grains and oilseeds, 70-80% of food produced in Ukraine is consumed domestically, while 20-30% is exported, according to the minister. For grains and oilseeds, the ratio is reversed: 25% goes to domestic consumption and 75% to exports.
Ukraine exports, among other things, cereals, frozen products, sugar, oil, dairy and meat products, eggs, and fruit, including grapes and apples. Vegetables used in borscht are mostly aimed at the domestic market, with minimal exports.
Fish products remain significantly import-dependent, with imports accounting for more than 80% of consumption. However, Vysotsky said no long-term shortage of imported goods is expected at this time, since logistics through border crossings continue to function and imports can be delivered directly to points of sale.
