Ukraine minister blames speculators for food crisis

Agrarian policy minister Alexey Pavlenko blamed speculators for Ukraine's current food shortage and urged citizens not to panic.
"We have enough foodstuffs. We have 5.2 million tons of crops now while the domestic consumption is 2.1 million tons. We have enough buckwheat. We have an excessive production of sugar, estimated at almost 700,000 tons, or more than the consumers need," Pavlenko said, according to a TASS agency report.
"The situation is due to panic and speculative activities," Pavlenko told the country’s TV channels.
Ukraine’s media reports earlier said the collapse of the hryvnia (Ukraine's currency) and the growing prices on the country’s consumer market have led to panic buying of food, medicines and household appliances.
The shops limit the sales warning customers that they can buy no more than 2 packages of buckwheat, 3-5 kilograms of flour, 3-5 kilograms of sugar and 2 bottles of sunflower oil, the TASS report said.