KUALA LUMPUR -- Russia's withdrawal from a U.N.-brokered deal that guaranteed safe passage for ships carrying grain from Ukraine is set to deepen the global food crisis, analysts and other observers warn.
The Black Sea area is traditionally one of the world's main suppliers of vital commodities such as wheat and corn, with Asia a key destination for cargoes from the region. A drop in shipments is likely to drive up prices that had eased in recent months, piling more pressure on consumers wrestling with higher living costs.
