The temporary sea corridor has allowed only 700,000 tons of grain to pass through Ukrainian seaports. Minister of Agricultural Policy Mykola Solsky noted during the EU Council on Agriculture meeting that the largest number of agricultural products is currently exported through the Danube ports. Almost 2.3 million tons of farm products passed through this route in September and 2.4 million tons in August. In general, the export of farm products in September amounted to 3.6 million tons.
Solsky emphasized that such volumes are not enough to export all of the necessary agricultural products because Ukraine needs to export about six million tons per month to preserve agriculture as a critical branch of the economy.
“We can ensure such a volume of transportation only by restoring the entire operation of the deep-water ports of Odesa“, the minister emphasized.
As President Zelenskyy said at the Second Summit of the Crimean Platform, about 50 vessels have arrived at Ukrainian ports for loading since the start of the temporary corridor, and more than 50 more are scheduled to arrive. Despite this, grain exports decreased by 29.7% to 8.3 million tons in the new season.