By Olga Popova
MOSCOW, July 31 (Reuters) - Russia's main grain lobby group warned on Friday that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian ships and ports could shut down grain exports via the Black Sea in the near future, pushing up prices and causing hunger in Africa and the Middle East.
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, and Ukraine, also a major agricultural exporter, have been attacking each other's agricultural export facilities and commercial vessels in the Black Sea area in recent weeks.
Russia's Union of Grain Exporters and Producers told Reuters that the consequences of the attacks would be felt my many countries in the near future.
"Systematic attacks that began in July could soon lead to a complete blockage of export corridors in the Black Sea basin," the union said in a statement to Reuters.
It said that the shortfall in supply of Russian wheat to other countries this season could reach 30-35 million metric tons, accounting for around 15 per cent of total global wheat trade. It would not be possible to cover the shortfall by increasing exports from alternative countries, it said.
"Disruptions to shipping in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian attacks on dry cargo vessels and port infrastructure pose a direct threat to global food security," it said.
(Reporting by Olga Popova; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva and Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
