Black Sea attacks threaten the global grain supply

Drones sank a Liberian-flagged freighter off Bulgaria on Oct 28, and all 18 crew members were rescued. Ukraine says the drones were Russian.

Grain harvested in Ukraine this year

60 million tonnes

Ukraine harvested up to 60 million tonnes of grain this year, but only half can be shipped out, according to a Kyiv-based analyst.

Chicago wheat futures, a global benchmark, rose from US$5.03 a bushel in October 2025 to US$6.03 in October, a one-fifth rise over 12 months.

Background

Before Russia's 2022 invasion, about a third of the world's grain exports passed through the Black Sea, and Ukraine supplied a tenth of global wheat exports.