Ukraine's grain exports fall to 590,000 tonnes, or 30% of need, Aug. 1-12 – agriculture minister

In the week of August 1-12, Ukraine's grain exports reached a meager 590,000 tonnes, a mere 30% of the nation's requirements, according to Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotsky. The extensive halt of the sea corridor since late July played a significant role in this decline. Vysotsky disclosed these figures during a briefing in Kyiv on Friday. Despite the challenging circumstances, the minister expressed optimism about achieving 50% of the needed grain exports in the future once the Black Sea port operations are restored.

However, even with some increase in exports, the situation would still fall short of the 50% threshold without the resumption of the Black Sea port operations, he added. Vysotsky noted that the Danube route, currently facing drought, cannot operate at its full capacity of around 1.5 million tonnes a month; this potential full capacity is likely to be realized closer to the end of the year.

Presently, Ukraine possesses adequate permanent grain storage capacity. Nevertheless, a significant shortfall of 8 million to 11 million tonnes is anticipated in November following the corn harvest. Officials hope that temporary storage capacity will help cover this deficit. Vysotsky confirmed that a request for $10 million in funding to address this issue has already been submitted to international partners. He acknowledged that predicting the rate of sea exports restoration remains challenging.