Yemen’s Food Basket Jumps by 85%, Govt Considers S. American Alternative

Relief workers in Sanaa. (EPA)
Relief workers in Sanaa. (EPA)
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Yemen’s Food Basket Jumps by 85%, Govt Considers S. American Alternative

Relief workers in Sanaa. (EPA)
Relief workers in Sanaa. (EPA)

Yemen’s Ministry of Industry and Trade said it is looking for alternative markets to buy wheat from South America and Asia in order to cover the disruption to global wheat supplies generated by the fallout from the conflict in Ukraine.

A senior official in the Ministry said Yemen is considering Brazil and India.

He pointed out that many regional countries that have large stocks of wheat also offered to sell Yemen the quantity it needs.

The government pledged to work on providing credit lines for importers.

Yemen imports about 46% of wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

A food security analysis prepared by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network said Yemen is currently suffering a surge in food prices since it relies heavily on imports to meet its need.

According to the report, the cost of the most basic food basket has increased significantly by 12% since March, up 85% than a year before.

The purchasing power of families has been highly affected due to years of economic slump and conflict.

The analysis further indicated that the years of political stalemate led to weaken the economy and pushed people into poverty.

Displacement led to Yemenis losing their sources of income, leaving people extremely vulnerable to the rising prices of basic foodstuffs and unable to meet other basic living expenses.



Safadi: We Cannot Afford Another War in the West Bank

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib, not pictured, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib, not pictured, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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Safadi: We Cannot Afford Another War in the West Bank

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib, not pictured, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi meets with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib, not pictured, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday that his country could not afford another war in the neighboring Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank, according to Reuters.

The Israeli military launched an operation in Jenin on Tuesday.

The offensive came one day after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump and just days after a ceasefire deal paused fighting between the Jewish state and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli assault has killed at least 10 Palestinians and injured 40 more, according to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry.