Photo: The Canadian Press

International Development Minister and Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Minister Harjit Sajjan rises during Question Period, Monday, April 4, 2022 in Ottawa. Harjit Sajjan, the international development minister, says Russia has placed mines in Ukrainian fields to prevent farmers cultivating their crops. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Harjit Sajjan, the international development minister, says Russia has planted mines in Ukrainian fields to prevent farmers from cultivating their crops.

Speaking after a meeting of G7 development ministers in Berlin, Sajjan says Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told them Russian troops were mining fields to ruin the harvest and stealing Ukraine's food stores.

Heather McPherson, NDP international development critic, says Canada, which has expertise in demining, should be helping to make Ukraine's fields safe for farmers so they can plant and harvest their crops.

Sajjan says getting Ukrainian wheat to developing countries relying on it as a staple food is crucial to stave off hunger and future conflict.

He says Canada is working on how to get food to developing countries deprived of Ukrainian grain and, if not enough wheat is available, is looking into sending stores of other food including potatoes and carrots.

Sajjan warns that Russia is spreading disinformation in the developing world that blames the West for higher food prices to increase Putin's sphere of influence.