Sweden will start filing up its silos with food for the first time since the Cold War amid fears of a war with Russia.
After ending its long-standing policy of military non-alignment and joining Nato in 2024, the Scandinavian country is taking some drastic measures to ‘build strength in the new total defence.’ Its government announced plans to invest £45 million (575 million kronor) – as part of the 2026 budget – to set up the grain reserves.
Civil defence minister Carl-Oskar said: ‘We are well aware that the risk of Sweden becoming completely cut off is very low, but the risk of complex supply chains being disrupted with major and unpredictable consequences in the event of war and conflict is unfortunately more likely.’
Bohlin said in a statement that the first emergency grain stocks will be in the north of Sweden, a region that risks being isolated in a conflict. He stressed this was not a ‘random’ choice, adding: ‘Northern Sweden’s important military-strategic location combined with a low degree of self-sufficiency in grain makes it urgent to establish physical storage here as soon as possible.
‘The government has therefore brought forward the planning and rollout of this buildup precisely because there is no time to lose. ‘Today, we are thus adding another day to the record books as we have taken concrete measures and steps to seriously strengthen the resilience of Swedish society.’ A tender will be launched today in the northern counties of Norrbotten, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland and Jamtland. These counties are currently entirely dependent on grain transported from southern Sweden – the oblong country runs some 1,000 miles from north to south – which could be problematic in the event of a crisis or war. (Read More)
