Ukraine offers to expand the grain initiative to two more ports: “Mykolaiv” and “Olvia”

UkrAgroConsult

Ukraine proposes to expand the grain initiative to two more ports: Mykolaiv and Olvia. If this can be implemented, Ukrainian grain will be exported from five ports – three in Odesa and two in Mykolaiv region.

The proposal of expansion at the G20 summit was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. He stated that the grain initiative deserves to be continued indefinitely, stressing that the right to food is fundamental. Ukraine has exported more than 10 million tons of grain since July, and this number can be expanded by adding new ports to the initiative.

“The right to food is a fundamental right. Since July, Ukraine has exported more than 10 million tons of food by sea. We can increase exports by another million tons every month. To do this, I propose to expand the grain initiative to our other ports, in particular, to the ports of Mykolaiv and “Olvia” in the Mykolayiv region,” he said.

According to Bloomberg, Ukraine is working with allies to finance a new batch of grain to be exported by the anniversary of the 1932-1933 Holodomor. Government officials are looking for funding and support for the shipments, which will be timed to honor the memory of the starving Ukrainians.

The term of the 120-day grain initiative, launched in July with the assistance of Turkey and the UN, expires in November. During this time, more than 10 million tons of Ukrainian agricultural products were received by countries that needed them, including those that were on the brink of starvation. In addition to sales, Ukraine also sent grain for free as humanitarian aid to, for example, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The grain initiative was launched due to the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports. Russia agreed to sign an agreement with Turkey and the UN, guaranteeing the safe exit of ships with grain from three ports of the Odesa region in exchange for their inspection by the Turkish side. However, in October, Moscow decided to unilaterally withdraw from the agreement. This did not have a significant impact on the implementation of the grain corridor – the ships continued to export. After negotiations with Turkish President Erdogan and UN Secretary General Guterres, the Russians decided to return to the implementation of the grain corridor.

Tags: Ukraine, export, grain, Olvia port, Mykolayiv port