There is no threat of famine in the EU. The level of decline in grain production in European countries is not at all «catastrophic», as it decreased by only 3.9% compared to the average indicator. The decrease in grain yields was caused by adverse weather conditions in the spring and summer of 2024 and is observed all over the world, including in Russia itself, where wheat production fell by 10% compared to the previous season.
Against the background of the grain harvest season ending, the Russian media began to spread misinformation about «hungry Europe». Propaganda claims that this season European countries witnessed a «catastrophic» grain failure — of course, because of «anti-Russian sanctions». Propaganda concludes that against the background of «famine in Europe» Russia has now become «the guarantor of the EU’s food security», and Russian media spread these manipulations.
Propaganda manipulates data and distorts reality. This year, throughout the world, including Russia itself, there is indeed a decrease in grain yields. This is due to unfavorable weather conditions at the beginning of the sowing period, and not related to the sanctions policy of the European Union, as Russian propaganda claims. A very wet spring and summer caused harvest delays and adversely affected wheat growth in Western Europe, while Central and Eastern Europe suffered from a lack of moisture, which also affected grains.
According to the data of the European Commission, published at the end of September 2024, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the total volume of grain production in the EU is forecast at 269.9 million tons. This is only 3.9% below the average.
On the other hand, in Russia, according to the October report of the US Agriculture Department, wheat production fell by as much as 10% compared to last season. Propaganda deliberately omits data on Russian grains, focusing only on the fall in yields in European countries, although Russia itself suffered due to weather conditions at the beginning of the year.
Moreover, agitprop deliberately does not mention that the top three exporters of grain in the world are not only Russia. The European Union and Ukraine are also among the world’s largest producers and exporters of agricultural products, playing an important role in supplying oil and grain crops to the world market.
Previously, StopFake had already analyzed similar narratives of Russian propaganda. Read more in the articles Anti-Russian Сonspiracy: Russia’s Ukrainian Grain Narratives and Manipulation: Ukrainian Grain Exported to the West, Not Needy African Countries.
