UN expects wheat export growth from Ukraine

The United Nations organisation expects wheat exports from Ukraine to increase further, following an agreement reached in July between Moscow and Kiev, UN export co-ordinator Frederick Kenney said today.

So far we have authorized the removal of the Ukrainian ports of 12 ships, which are loaded with more than 370 thousand tons of wheat and other food products”, Kenney explained.

Five other ships were inspected today, he added.

A lot of other ships are still awaiting relevant authorization to sail towards Ukrainian ports, and we expect significant growth of transitt applications” the UN co-ordinator added.

The warring parties, Ukraine and Russia signed agreements with Turkey last month and the United Nations for export of agricultural products and fertilizers from three Ukrainian ports to the Black Sea.

At least 12 ships have since left the ports of Chornomorsk, Odessa and Pivdenny with more than 37 thousand tonnes of cargo.

Following its aggression against Ukraine in late February of this year, Russia blocked Ukrainian ports. Ukraine, on the other hand, had been undermining its ports for fear of Russian occupation.

Kenney added that no ship safety incidents have been recorded so far.