Ukraine Grain Exports Surprise with 28% Spike After Russian Attacks
Ukraine's grain exports have seen an unexpected surge, rising by 28% in the week of August 20 to 26. According to APK-Inform consultancy, a total of 240,900 metric tons of wheat, corn, and barley were exported during this period, with 173,300 tonnes of wheat, 58,900 tonnes of corn, and 8,600 tonnes of barley included in the volume.
The increase is a significant departure from earlier trends, which saw Ukrainian grain exports plummet after Russian missile and drone attacks blocked Ukrainian Black Sea ports in late July. In early July, Ukraine was exporting around 760,000 tonnes of grain per week when its seaports were operational.
APK-Inform attributes the rise in exports to an increase in grain shipments to Danube ports, which have risen by 35%. However, it is worth noting that these alternative routes cannot compensate for the loss of the seaports. Ukraine's agriculture minister, Taras Vysotskyi, has warned that food exports could decrease to 1.7 million tonnes this month and be around two million tonnes in September due to the blocked seaports.