KYIV, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine grain exports are down
almost 27% at 31.8 million tonnes in the 2022/23 season so far,
hit by a smaller harvest and logistical difficulties caused by
the Russian invasion, agriculture ministry data showed on
Monday.
The volume so far in the July to June season included about
11.2 million tonnes of wheat, 18 million tonnes of corn and
about 2 million tonnes of barley. Exports at the same stage of
the previous season were almost 43.5 million tonnes.
The ministry said grain exports so far in February had
reached 4.7 million tonnes as of Feb. 27, down from 5.04 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 this month 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.
A major global grain grower and exporter, Ukraine's grain
output is likely to have dropped to about 54 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 Louise Heavens)
pavel.polityuk.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
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