After the withdrawal of the Russians from the "grain agreement", the occupiers began to regularly attack Ukrainian ports with missiles and drones. Since July, the Russians have destroyed 280 000 tons of grain stored in the southern regions.
This is written by the Financial Times (FT) with reference to data from the UK government.
Ukraine produces half of the worldʼs oil exports and 10% of wheat. Over the past 12 months, it was possible to export almost 35 million tons of grain through the Danube. Along with rail transport across Europe, this provided vital economic support for the country.
According to the FT, alternative grain export routes have become an urgent issue.
"It becomes pointless for Ukrainian farmers to plant crops, because they simply lose money," said the CEO of the Kernel company Yevhen Osypov. According to his forecasts, high costs will undermine grain production in Ukraine and lead to a reduction in exports in 2024 by half against last yearʼs level.
The president of the Association of International Freight Forwarders, estimates that it costs about $116 to export a ton of grain to Egypt via the Danube, compared to about $69 before the Russian invasion last year.
Ukrainian farmers and shippers say that the capacity of the Danube can be expanded.
"The advantage of the Danube is that there are many places for loading, and the infrastructure is distributed," said the CEO of Nibulon Andrii Vadaturskyi. "This also means that Ukraine does not dance to the tune of Russia."
- On July 17, 2023, Russia informed about its withdrawal from the "grain agreement". Already on July 19, Russian troops attacked the port infrastructure of Odesa and the region, targeting grain and oil terminals. After that, Russia began systematically shelling Ukraineʼs grain infrastructure. On August 10, Ukraine announced temporary sea corridors for merchant vessels.
- Ukraine and the USA consider the development of the grain corridor on the Danube to be the most promising. In February 2023, Ukraine increased the depth of the Bystre estuary in the Danube Delta to increase exports from seaports. This will allow to export an additional 500 000 tons per month.