Metal can't be transported within Black Sea Grain Initiative framework - Ukrainian deputy infrastructure minister

MOSCOW. Aug 29 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry is not considering the resumption of metal exports within the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative but will be ready to initiate these exports as soon as an opportunity presents itself, the Ukrainian media said with the reference to Ukrainian Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov.

"At this point, we are not discussing the exportation of metal or other types of commodities within the Grain Initiative framework. The UN authored the Grain Initiative, and the exportation of agrarian products was addressed precisely in the food security context," Vaskov said in an interview with CTS.

Vaskov underlined the interest of Ukraine in resuming full-scale operation of ports and said that exports of metal products would be initiated as soon as possible.

According to Vaskov, four dozen ships departed from Ukrainian ports within 25 days of operation of the Black Sea grain corridor to ship more than 880,000 tonnes of agrarian products, 25 ships have arrived in the ports to take aboard foods, and 60 applications for port calls due in the near future have been filed.

Expensive freight has become the main problem of the grain corridor, the deputy minister said. "This means our agrarians are paid less for their products," Vaskov said.

The freight cost is decreasing alongside the growing number of ships, and it is much more profitable to operate through Odesa ports than via the Danube, Vaskov said.