Ukraine's grain exports drop to 8.7 mln T in current season ministry
KYIV, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine's grain exports have fallen to 8.72 million metric tons so far in the 2023/24 July-June marketing season, agriculture ministry data showed on Friday.
The ministry gave no direct comparative data, but said that by Oct. 28 last year Ukraine had exported 12.34 million tons of grain.
The exported volume this season included 4.4 million tons of wheat, 3.5 million tons of corn and 669,000 tons of barley. In the previous season Ukraine exported 4.7 million tons of wheat, 6.6 million tons of corn and 1.05 million tons of barley.
The ministry said 1.97 million tons of grain were exported in the first 26 days of October. Ukraine exported 3.65 million tons from Oct. 1-27 a year ago.
While the ministry gave no explanation for the decrease, traders and farmers' unions have said blocked Ukrainian Black Sea ports and Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube River are the main reasons for lower exports.
Ukraine has traditionally shipped most of its exports through its deep water Black Sea ports.
A deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey allowing exports collapsed in July when Russia withdrew, saying its demand that sanctions be lifted on its grain and fertiliser exports had not been met.
Ukrainian officials said 51 cargo vessels had entered a new Black Sea shipping corridor since it came into operation in August as Kyiv steps up a push to defy the de-facto Russian blockade.
Ukraine's government expects it to harvest 79 million tons of grain and oilseeds in 2023, with its 2023/24 exportable surplus totalling about 50 million tons.