The ministry said grain exports so far in February had reached 2.7 million tonnes as of Feb. 15, down from 3.5 million tonnes in the same period last year. After an almost six-month blockade caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, three Ukrainian Black Sea ports were unblocked at the end of July under a deal between Moscow and Kyiv brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. However, Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of delaying inspections of ships carrying Ukrainian agricultural goods, leading to reduced shipments and losses for traders. Ukraine appealed on Wednesday to the United Nations and Turkey to press Russia to stop hindering Ukrainian grain shipments that supply millions of people and not to use food as a weapon.
Two top Ukrainian officials said in a joint statement that "Ukraine is deeply concerned about the destructive actions of Russia", which result in delay of the work of the grain corridor and obstruct the Black Sea grain initiative in general. A major global grain grower and exporter, Ukraine's grain output is likely to have dropped to about 51 million tonnes in clean weight in the 2022 calendar year, down from a record 86 million tonnes in 2021.
Officials have blamed the fall on hostilities in the country's eastern, northern and southern regions. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk Editing by David Goodman)
pavel.polityuk.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))