The Black Sea grain corridor as a crisis-driven food security governance mechanism: evidence from Samsun, Türkiye

The Russia–Ukraine War severely disrupted global grain supply chains by blocking Ukrainian ports and interrupting exports from a major grain-producing region. In response, the Black Sea Grain Corridor (BSGC) was established in 2022 to restore maritime grain shipments and mitigate the emerging global food crisis. While existing research has largely focused on the Corridor’s effects on global prices and trade flows, limited attention has been paid to its localized economic impacts on port cities. This study examines how the BSGC affected sectoral dynamics in Samsun, one of Türkiye’s key Black Sea port cities. Drawing on a qualitative case study based on 17 in-depth interviews, the study analyzes the Corridor’s influence on food prices, the food industry, logistics services, and licenced warehousing. The findings indicate that the Corridor was associated with relative price stability and increased sectoral activity in Samsun. The study situates these findings within a food security governance framework.