Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing seed for grain crops as direct aid to farmers in Ukraine.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is in the process of buying Ukrainian grain to ship straight to countries benefitting from its programme. Following close discussions with key seed supplier organisations on the ground in Ukraine, our assessment is that growers are particularly seeking maize and sunflower seed, however they have been currently receiving sufficient supplies of these through countries such as Germany. The UK does not hold significant surplus stocks of these species; however, key seed supplier organisations have confirmed that there are surpluses of other seeds, including for vegetables and cereals, and these have been offered as part of a broader support package to Ukraine. We are also supporting countries on the frontline of the food crisis. In June, the Prime Minister committed £372 million at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (GHOGM) for emergency aid and agricultural innovation. The UK is also a major contributor to the UN’s World Food Programme, providing the equivalent of USD 302.3 million to the fund so far this year. We remain committed to supporting Ukraine and we are in constant communication with the Ukrainian government to ensure that any aid is targeted to where it is needed most.