Ukraine doubles food exports in July despite Russian port attacks
4:41 PM EDT, August 12, 2024
Despite Russian attacks on the Black Sea and Danube ports, Ukraine exported 4.6 million tons of food in July, which is double the amount from a year ago, Reuters reported on Monday.
The increase in exports in July was notable despite the intensification of Russian attacks on Odesa, a key export hub in the Black Sea region, and Izmail, the Danube's main port. Ukrainian grain is being transported from both of these ports.
Last year, most of Ukraine's wheat went to Spain, Egypt, and Indonesia, while corn primarily went to Spain and China. The current exports consist of this year's wheat and corn from last year's harvest.
Experts from the consulting firm ASAP, operating in the agricultural industry, believe that the volume of this year's Ukrainian grain exports may fall by as much as 16 million tons.
Russian attacks on Ukraine's ports
Reuters recalled that before Russia's full-scale invasion, that is, until February 2022, Ukraine exported 7 million tons of grain monthly exclusively through Black Sea ports.
Russia is carrying out strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure with the intent of weakening the country's capacity to export food, according to Dmytro Barinov from Ukraine's seaports administration, as reported in an interview with Reuters.
