Ukraine has exported almost 700,000 tons of grain through temporary sea corridor

During the time that the temporary sea corridor operated, Ukraine exported almost 700,000 tons of grain, mainly to European and African countries.

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Mykola Solskyi, stated this during the meeting of the EU Council on Agriculture and Fisheries in Luxembourg, Rubryka reports.

"In August, we opened a temporary corridor through the Black Sea. It works thanks to our armed forces' support and international partners' trust," said Solskyi. "Every day, the number of ships entering the ports increases. During the operation of the new corridor, 38 ships entered the ports, and more than 30 left, of course, not all of them with grain. Still, we were able to export almost 700,000 tons of grain."

The minister added that most of Ukrainian products were exported via the Danube through Romania. He noted that Ukraine exported almost 2.3 million tons of agricultural products in September through the Danube ports. In August, this indicator was slightly higher, with 2.4 million tons.

According to Solskyi, the entire export of agricultural products in September amounted to 3.6 million tons. He stressed that such volumes were not enough to export all agricultural products intended for export.

"We have to export about 6 million tons per month to preserve our agriculture as a key branch of the economy. We can ensure this transportation volume only by restoring the full operation of the deep-sea ports of the Odesa region. We see an increasing tendency in the number of ships leaving our ports. We hope it will be maintained," the agrarian minister added.

Solskyi noted that, along with this export route, the restrictions imposed by the European Commission on exporting certain types of Ukrainian agricultural products through land corridors did not affect the stabilization of prices, as expected by some border countries. Prices continue to fall.

"This is influenced by many factors, particularly high harvests in Brazil and Australia. It is obvious that the key role in lowering prices is not played by Ukrainian grain," the minister explained.

He also said Ukraine developed a new instrument to ensure uninterrupted exports — the licensing of certain types of agricultural products, the export of which raised the most questions.

The procedure provides for issuing a license from the Ukrainian government within 30 days of receiving the export application. During this time, Ukraine informs the European Commission and the relevant country about receiving the export application. A license for export from Ukraine is not issued without the agreement of this country. Solskyi invited the countries to join this format of cooperation.

The minister also called on his international colleagues to support President Zelensky's Grain From Ukraine program.

"On November 26, the 2nd Grain From Ukraine summit will be held to ensure this humanitarian initiative continues working," said Solskyi. "Recent events in the world show that at a time when democracies as such are under direct threat, we must focus together on the values that unite us — unite and make us stronger. That includes continuing the Grain From Ukraine program."

In August, Ukraine announced new temporary routes for merchant vessels going to and from its Black Sea seaports. These routes were primarily used to enable the exit of civilian vessels stationed in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the beginning of Russia's full-fledged invasion on February 24, 2022.

In September, the Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, the Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, announced that after using the temporary corridor to help vessels exit ports blocked due to Russian aggression, other civilian vessels began to use the route for passage to and from Odesa seaports.