Ukraine exported 5.5 million tons of grain, oilseeds and their products in January, which is 1.3 million tons less than in December, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy reported on Saturday.
“Such a downward dynamic is due to the artificial blocking of the “grain corridor” by Russian inspectors,” the ministry said.
It specified that the “grain initiative” shipped only 3 million tons in the first month of the year, while previously the export of agricultural products in the corridor was 4 million tons or more per month.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, corn exports fell by 700 thousand tons – to 2.6 million tons, wheat – by 250 thousand tons, to 1.3 million tons.
A total of 15.4 million tons of corn and 9.7 million tons of wheat were exported in the marketing season (July 2022 – January 2023), while 39.2 million tons of oilseeds, the ministry said.
It added that during 11 months of war 44.4 million tons of agricultural products were sent from Ukraine to other countries, including 9.9 million tons of wheat and 18.2 million tons of corn. Insignificant difference in the supply of these crops compared to the new marketing season is associated with the closure of Ukrainian ports, which did not function for five months, and in August they began to gradually increase the volume, said the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
According to his data, sunflower oil remained in the top three leading shipments in January with 347 tons, which is 121 thousand tons less than in December.
January shipments of soybeans declined slightly compared to December – to 345 tons from 387 tons, meal to 295 tons from 331 tons.
At the same time sunflower seed supply was reduced more than 1.6 times – to 190 thousand tons from 312 thousand tons more, and rapeseed – nearly 1.3 times: to 186 thousand tons from 237 thousand tons compared to 412 thousand tons in November.
As Ministry of Agricultural Policy noted, barley shipments remained almost unchanged in January: 168.7 tons against 179 tons in December. During the first month of 2023 soybean oil shipped by 6 thousand tons more – 26 thousand tons.
“The overall picture of January shipments as a percentage is as follows: corn – 47.36%, 24.23% – wheat, 6.33% – sunflower oil, soybeans – 6.29%, 5.38% – meal, sunflower seeds – 3.46%, canola – 3.39%, barley – 3.08%, soybean oil – 0.49%,” indicated the Ministry.
It added that the total volume of shipments for 11 months by crops: 18.2 million. MT – corn (40.88%), 9.9 million tons – wheat (22.25%), 3.6 million tons – sunflower oil (8.12%), 3.2 million tons – rape (7.21%), 2.9 million tons – sunflower seeds (6.49%), 2.5 million tons – meal (5.65%), 1.9 million tons – barley (4.21%), 2 million tons – soybeans (4.70%), 215 thousand tons – soybean oil (0.49%). tons – soybean oil (0.48%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2021/2022 MY exported 48.51 million tons of grain and leguminous crops, which is 8.4% higher than in the previous MY, despite the full-scale invasion of Russia and the difficulties with the export of agricultural products due to the blockade of Ukrainian seaports. 18.74 million tons of wheat (12.6% more than in 2020/2021MY), 23.54 million tons of corn (+1.9%), 5.75 million tons of barley (+35.9%), 70.9 thousand tons of flour (-44.1%) were supplied to foreign markets.
Ukraine in 2020/2021 MY exported 44.72 million tons of grain and leguminous crops: 16.64 million tons of wheat, 23.08 million tons of corn, 4.23 million tons of barley, 126.9 thousand tons of flour and 18.4 thousand tons of rye.
In 2019/2020, Ukraine exported a record 56.72 million tons of grain and leguminous crops.
