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Black Sea disruptions in the context of multiple shocks

  • Publication | 2026

Highlights:

The analysis shows that:

  • Compound shocks: Black Sea disruptions come on top of geopolitical fracture, fiscal contraction and weather extremes, all converging on global agrifood systems in 2026.
  • Trade and shipping: Attacks since late June have disrupted Black Sea shipping: dry bulk volumes through the Bosphorus are down 48% from just before tensions intensified with trade only partially rerouted through alternative solutions (rail, Danube).
  • International prices: Prices are firming (+19% wheat EU, +10% corn US, +11% soybean oil US, +8–20% rice Thailand), but the impact is so far mitigated by ample global grain supplies. The mid-term risk is cross-commodity price contagion.
  • Producers: Limited export possibilities are depressing domestic prices in Ukraine: milling wheat was quoted about 31 percent below Western Europe prices, and 11 million tonnes of grain need additional storage capacity.
  • Stocks: Wheat stocks of major exporters would fall to historically low levels if Ukraine and the Russian Federation could not export.
  • Food security: Countries dependent on Black Sea wheat have not seen above-average deterioration in acute food insecurity so far, but several highly food-insecure importers remain directly exposed and need close monitoring.
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