Ukrainian grain exports have fallen to 6.82 million metric tons so far in the 2023/24 July-June season, from 8.99 million tons in the same period of 2022/23, agriculture ministry data showed.
The ministry said that 153,000 tons of grain were exported in the first three days of October 2023, compared with 297,000 tons a year ago, Reuters reported.
Traders and agricultural unions have said that Ukrainian Black Sea ports being blocked and Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube River are the main reasons for lower exports.
Ukraine is expected to harvest 79 million tons of grain and oilseed in 2023, with 2023/24 exportable surplus totals of about 50 million tons.
Ukraine expects 12 more cargo ships at Black Sea ports
In a related Reuters report, Ukraine's navy said 12 more cargo vessels were ready to enter the Black Sea shipping corridor on their way to Ukrainian ports, as Kyiv continues to defy a de facto Russian blockade on its vital sea exports.
Ukraine's ability to ship grain has been hit by Russia's decision in mid-July to quit a U.N.-brokered deal that had allowed safe shipments via the Black Sea. Kyiv is increasingly shipping grain along the Danube River, by road and by train, and has established a "humanitarian corridor" along the Black Sea coast to ship grain for African and Asian markets.
Russian wheat exports continue to grow
Russia’s share of the global wheat market has grown dramatically since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It is expected to export 47.2 million metric tons (52 million tons) of wheat in the current season, which started in the summer, according to data from S&P Global shared with CNN. This will amount to 22.5% of global wheat exports, a market-leading share. Two years ago, Russia exported 32.6 million tons, 16% of the market.
In the same period, Ukraine’s share of global wheat exports has shrunk from 9% to an expected level of a little over 6% for this season.
