RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Harold Forsyth, Peru’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), tried unsuccessfully to get the organization to approve a statement on the fertilizer shortages that may be caused by the war in Ukraine, of which Russia is one of the largest exporters.
Although the initiative was unable to move forward due to the reluctance of several member countries to approve it without allowing their experts to review the document, Forsyth emphasized having succeeded in getting the issue before the organization.
“The declaration was important, but an anecdote,” the diplomat pointed out on April 27 during the last meeting of the Permanent Council of the Washington-based multilateral organization.
The fertilizer issue is especially relevant for Latin America and the Caribbean, as most countries are major importers, the chief economist of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Máximo Torero, explained in a presentation.
According to the economist, the drop in fertilizer production could immediately lead to a shortage of chemicals in countries in need of humanitarian aid, such as Afghanistan, and a little later in countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Peru.
However, in the medium term, fertilizer shortages could lead to lower food production, leading to higher food prices in the coming years.
“Now we don’t have a problem of food availability, we have one of access, because of rising prices. Next year we could have a problem with food availability and access,” warned Torero.
One of the possible solutions proposed by the economist is to keep these products out of the reach of the economic sanctions imposed against Russia by most Western countries after its military operation in Ukraine.
Although all participants in the meeting favored examining the initiative, representatives of countries such as Canada, the United States, and Argentina, among others, did not want to approve Peru’s proposal without first giving their experts time to examine the language of the declaration.
“In a few days, we may not need a declaration but a resolution,” warned the Peruvian representative due to the urgency of the matter. Forsyth pledged to continue working with delegations to reach a consensus soon.
With information from EFE