Ukraine Shifts to Higher-Value Crops Amid Rail Export Disruptions

Ukraine's agricultural exports have taken a hit due to port shutdowns. At the start of August, rail shipments of grain to the ports of Greater Odesa virtually came to a standstill, with only 40.8 thousand tons exported by sea in the first six days of the month - a decline of 84.3% from July.

In total, between 1 and 6 August, Ukraine exported 312.9 thousand tonnes of agricultural produce, compared to 784.5 thousand tonnes during the same period last month. Revenue fell by 38.4%, from $326.9 million to $201.5 million.

The reason for this decline lies in a change in the structure of exports. The share of bulk grain cargoes, such as wheat and maize, has decreased, while the share of products with higher price per tonne - like oil, rapeseed, and processed goods - has increased.