Danube Drought Hits Black Sea Grain Exports Hard

Black Sea grain exports face fresh constraints due to record-low Danube levels, which are restricting flows through Romania. This comes at a time when escalating Russian strikes divert Ukrainian grain from Odesa and other ports.

The Black Sea is the primary export gateway for Russia and Ukraine, accounting for over 25% of global wheat exports. Intensified attacks on grain infrastructure and vessels in the region have renewed concerns over shipment reliability, adding risk to global food supplies already battered by bad weather.

Romania's Constanta port has become a critical alternative exit point for Ukrainian grain since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. However, heat waves and lack of rain have lowered Danube water levels, forcing vessels to carry lighter loads, making river freight pricier and adding costs and delays to road and rail transportation.

Transport costs have increased dramatically, according to Stan Tiberiu-Dan, vice president of the Forum of Professional Farmers and Processors of Romania. The absence of water affects the quantity of grain that arrives at the Constanta port terminal, which could handle 20% more cargo if the Danube flows were normal.