The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Around 700,000 metric tons of grain have been exported through Ukraine’s Black Sea export corridor since it began operating in August, the Ukrainian agriculture minister said. Ukraine launched what it calls the “humanitarian corridor” in August this year, which releases ships bound for African and Asian markets, overcoming a "blockade” after Russia scrapped a deal in July 2023 that had guaranteed its exports during the war. “During the operation of the new corridor, 38 ships entered the ports and more than 30 left, not all of them with grain, of course,” the agriculture ministry quoted Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Mykola Solsky, as saying late on Monday. “However, we managed to export almost 700,000 tons of grain,” he added. The Black Sea initiative was agreed by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN in July 2022, along with a parallel accord between the UN and Russia on grain and fertiliser exports from the country. The deal that facilitated the export of more than 30 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to global markets via three Black Sea ports expired on 17 July 2023 after Russia terminated the initiative. According to Reuters, Ukraine had been exporting up to 3 million tons of food per month via the corridor while it was operating, with its total food exports, including alternative routes, reaching up to 6 million tons per month. Solsky said that in September, Ukraine exported 2.3 million tons of agricultural goods from small Ukrainian river ports on the Danube River. He said overall food exports totalled 3.6 million tons last month. “We need to export about 6 million tons per month to preserve our agriculture as a key sector of the economy,” Solsky said. He added that this volume of transportation can only be ensured by restoring the full operation of the country’s deepwater ports in the Odesa region of southwestern Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian agricultural producers said the new Black Sea corridor could enable exports of up to 2.5 million metric tons of food a month, which would almost offset the impact of Russia’s decision to quit the deal. Ukraine’s shipping sources said more than 40 cargo vessels have entered the corridor so far. The agriculture ministry estimates that Ukraine will harvest about 79 million tons of grain and oilseed in this year, with 2023/24 exportable volumes of about 50 million tons. You may also like to read:

1. Bacardi labelled “international war sponsor” as Russian business operations continue

2. Moscow seizes control of Danone Russia and Carlsberg’s Baltika

3. South Ukraine’s agricultural operations hit by Kakhovka dam destruction