They grew by 80 percent compared to the previous month to 1.743 million tons, as announced by the Ministry of Agriculture in Kyiv on Tuesday. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Taras Visotskiy, a maximum of 2 million tons per month could continue to be shipped abroad in the future if Russia continues to block the Black Sea ports. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine exported up to 6 million tons of grain per month.
Last month, 959,000 tons of corn and 202,650 tons of sunflower oil were sent abroad. For comparison: In May 2021 it was still 2.245 million tons of corn and 501,800 tons of sunflower oil. Ukraine is a major agricultural producer, which used to transport most of its goods around the world via seaports. However, since the Russian invasion that began on February 24, the country has been forced to export goods by train via the western border or via the small Danube ports.
In view of rising food prices worldwide, the United Nations is trying to restart grain exports from Russia and Ukraine. The aim is to ensure the supply of food worldwide. Russia’s war has triggered a global food crisis, with prices for grain, cooking oil, fuel and fertilizer soaring. Almost a third of global wheat supplies come from Russia and Ukraine. Russia is also a major exporter of fertilizers, Ukraine of corn and sunflower oil. The government in Moscow blames Western sanctions for the supply bottlenecks.
Turkey says it is working closely with Ukraine and Russia to agree on a plan to resume Ukrainian grain exports. The plan, promoted by the United Nations, includes a corridor in the Black Sea through which grain badly needed by poor countries will be shipped from Ukraine. Among other things, it is about clearing mines off the port of Odessa and other places along the Ukrainian coast, said Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. One question is who should clear the mines and protect the corridor that has been created. Turkey has a sea border with the two warring parties in the Black Sea.
Source: Nachrichten
