Alternative routes' potential to export Ukrainian agricultural produce yet to be fully used - Deputy Minister Vysotsky

MOSCOW. June 9 (Interfax) - Ukraine exported 350,000 tonnes of agricultural products in March, 1 million tonnes in April, and 1.74 million tonnes in May, using alternative routes to bypass the blocked seaports, while the potential of such export routes has yet to be used to the fullest extent.

"These are not the amounts the seaports used to handle, but the growth is substantial and continuous. Most of the exports go through Poland, Romania is the first runner-up, and the rest is being supplied through other countries of the European Union," Ukrainian media outlets said with the reference to Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotsky. He made the statement during the national television marathon on Thursday.

Poland is giving colossal support to the exports of Ukrainian agricultural products by progressively increasing the number of personnel at customs posts that operate 24/7, Vysotsky said.

The exports of products with added value will be increasing owing to the lift of EU restrictions on imports from Ukraine, Vysotsky said. Before the quotas were scrapped, Ukraine exported grain and oilseeds to the EU without limitation, while the quotas on exports of certain agricultural products were spent within first months of any given year.

"For instance, the honey quota has always been spent in January. There were also quotas on dairy products, tomato paste, apple concentrate, poultry and cereals. There will be no limitations for these products now - we are expecting a palpable growth [in their exports]," Vysotsky said.

Directive 2022/870 of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union took effect on June 4 to endorse temporary trade liberation and to exempt Ukrainian exports from duties.

This includes duties on industrial products, suspended system of entry prices for vegetables and fruit and all types of tariff quotas for agricultural products, suspended anti-dumping duties on imports from Ukraine, and global protective measures against Ukrainian goods.

Back in May 2022, Ukraine exported 1.74 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds by all types of transport, including 959,350 tonnes of corn (+60% from April), 43,500 of wheat (up 4.7 times), 11,600 tonnes of barley (-2%), 341,800 tonnes of sunflower seeds (up 3.3 times), 66,620 tonnes of soybeans (+17%), and 101,000 tonnes of soybean extraction meal (up 2.6 times).

Also, the May exports included 202,650 tonnes of vegetable oil (+56% from April 2022) and 16,080 tonnes of soybean oil, as against 16,380 tonnes exported in April.