Ukraine exports 3.8 mln tonnes of agricultural produce in 1st half of March - ministry

MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - Ukraine exported 3.8 million tonnes of agricultural produce in the first 15 days of March 2023, which is 100,000 tonnes more than in the first 15 days of February 2023, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry on Monday.

Wheat shipments declined in this period by 153,000 tonnes to 827,000 tonnes and those of grist declined by 80,000 tonnes to 165,800 tonnes.

Barley exports declined by not very much, i.e. by 9,000 tonnes to 152,300 tonnes, it said.

At the same time, corn exports in the first half of March increased by 250,000 tonnes to 2 million tonnes, and sunflower exports by 25,000 tonnes to 108,000 tonnes compared to the first 15 days of February.

In addition, shipments of sunflower oil increased by 18,000 tonnes to 248,100 tonnes, soybeans by 7,000 tonnes to 227,000 tonnes, rapeseed by 5,000 tonnes to 39,600 tonnes, and soybean oil by 2,500 tonnes to 14,000 tonnes in March 1-15, 2023.

Corn accounted for 53.3%, wheat 21.7%, sunflower oil 6.5%, beans 5.9%, grist 4.3%, barley 4%, sunflower seeds 2.8%, rapeseed 1.04%, and soybean oil 0.4% in the general structure of Ukrainian agricultural exports in the first half of March.

Some 3 million tonnes of this amount was exported via sea and river ports, 508,300 tonnes by rail, 248,200 tonnes by road, and 55,300 tonnes by ferry, it said.

From March 1, 2022 to March 15, 2023, Ukraine has exported 54.6 million tonnes of grain, legumes, oil-bearing crops, and processed agricultural products, including 23.4 million tonnes of corn, 12.2 million tonnes of wheat, and 4.3 million tonnes of sunflower oil.

As of July 2022, when the sales period started, grain offer in Ukraine was over 70 million tonnes owing to large carryovers that had been accumulated during the first months of the crisis, when no exports were possible. Since then, Ukraine has exported 34.8 million tonnes of wheat, corn, and barley. Ukraine's domestic grain consumption is 17.6 million tonnes.

"There is enough grain in the country both for domestic needs and for exports, which form forex revenues and keep the national currency exchange rate from falling down," it said.