By KYIV. Nov 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine managed to export 4.8 million tonnes of agricultural products in October 2023, which is 15% more than in the same period in the previous month, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC) reported on Facebook.
According to the report, the growth in export volumes in October 2023 was achieved despite problems with routes through the Danube river ports – traditional seasonal shallow waters that prevent the operation of ships of larger tonnage and decreasing loading on barges.
“The increase in exports was partly helped by the addition of another export channel – the sea ports of Odesa region, which are now operating within the framework of a temporary sea corridor. However, export volumes through this channel are very far from pre-war indicators,” analysts stated.
According to their information, in October 2023, some 2.5 million tonnes of grain crops were exported, of which 52% were wheat and 45% were corn, which showed an increase of 20% compared to last month. Some 914,000 tonnes of oilseeds were supplied to foreign markets (rapeseed – 48%, soybeans – 48% and sunflower seeds – 3%), an increase of 4%.
In addition, the export of vegetable oils increased by 6%, which amounted to 508,700 tonnes of vegetable oils (sunflower oil – 80%, rapeseed oil – 14% and soybean oil – 6%), and by 18% of cakes – 491,500 tonnes (sunflower – 86%, soybean – 14%).
Compared to the previous month, exports of corn and soybeans increased, the harvest of which is now actively underway.
“Although there is an increase in export volumes, they remain insufficient to export the harvest that Ukraine collected this year. For the relatively normal functioning of the agricultural market, Ukraine must export about 6 million tonnes of food per month, preferably by sea, where logistics are less expensive,” summarized the UAC.
