KYIV, September 18 (Reuters) – A total of 165 ships carrying 3.7 million tonnes of agricultural goods have left Ukraine as part of the agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock the country’s ports, announced on Sunday the Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure.
A dozen ships carrying 169,300 tons of agricultural products were also due to leave Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea on Sunday.
“At 10:00 a.m., eight ships left the ports of Greater Odessa, and two others await their turn and favorable conditions,” reads a press release from the minister.
Grain exports from Ukraine fell after Russia invaded the country on 24 February. The blocking of Black Sea ports and a sharp rise in world food prices have raised the specter of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.
A major grain producer and exporter, Ukraine shipped up to six million tons of grain per month before the war.
Three Black Sea ports have reopened under the agreement signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian minister, these ports are able to load and send abroad 100 to 150 cargoes per month. (Report Pavel Polityuk; French version Elizabeth Pineau)