War and Drought Wreak Havoc on Ukrainian Grain Exports

Ukrainian farmers are struggling to sell their harvest due to Russia's attacks and drought. The war has severely impacted Ukraine's agricultural exports, with ports in the Odesa region accounting for around 90% of the country's grain exports being halted. According to Deutsche Welle, this shortage has led to a lack of funds for farmers to complete the harvest and plant winter crops.

Deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council Denys Marchuk notes that Ukrainian farmers have harvested over 28 million metric tons of grains and legumes. However, a significant portion of this harvest cannot be sold due to limited export capacity, and storage facilities are expected to become scarce in the coming months.

The situation is particularly dire in frontline regions where most grain elevators were destroyed during the war. Analyst Maksym Hopka estimates that July's agricultural output was 3.7 million metric tons, which is about a quarter less than the previous month. He also predicts a drop of over 50% in August.

The drought has further exacerbated the problem, reducing the Danube's transport capacity and making road transport expensive. The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food estimates potential annual losses from unsold agricultural products at around $20.5 billion.