Ukraine grain exports down 39.5% this season

Ukraine’s grain exports in the first 24 days of July, the first month of the 2022/23 season, were down 39.5% year on year at 1.08 million tonnes, reported Ukraine’s agriculture ministry on Monday.

Grain exports for the 2021/22 season ending 30 June rose 8.5% to 48.5 million tonnes, driven by strong shipments before Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February.

Ukraine’s grain exports have slumped since the start of the war because its Black Sea ports – a key route for shipments – have been largely closed off, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.

The ministry data showed the exports in July included 766,000 tonnes of corn, 222,000 tonnes of wheat and 88,000 tonnes of barley.

The government has said that Ukraine could harvest at least 50 million tonnes of grain this year, compared with a record 86 million tonnes in 2021, because of the loss of land to Russian forces and lower grain yields.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, exports, corn, grain, barley, wheat, yields, global food prices, Black Sea ports, shortages