Some 1.5 mln tonnes of food shipped from Ukraine under grain export deal

A total of 61 cargo ships carrying around 1.5 million tonnes of food have left Ukraine under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock Ukrainian sea ports, informed the Ukrainian infrastructure ministry on Tuesday.

The ministry said six ships with 183,000 tonnes of agricultural products left Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s grain exports slumped after Russia invaded the country on 24 February and blockaded its Black Sea ports, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.

Three Black Sea ports were reopened under a deal signed on 22 July by Moscow and Kyiv and the ministry said these ports are able to load and send abroad 100-150 cargo ships per month.

Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky told on Monday that the country’s agricultural exports could rise to 6 million-6.5 million tonnes in October, double the volume in July, as its sea ports gradually reopen.

Tags: grain, agricultural products, Black Sea, United Nations, food, shortages, sea ports, Ukraine, cargo ships, Russia, exports, Turkey