Ukraine can export some 4 mln tonnes of agricultural products after grain deal halted - MP

MOSCOW. July 18 (Interfax) - In the absence of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Ukraine will be able to export around 3.7 million-3.8 million tonnes of its agricultural products both via the Black Sea and through alternative routes, MP and member of the Verkhovna Rada's agrarian and land policy committee Dmitry Solomchuk said.

"The Danube holds the greatest potential for us in terms of export. Today it is 3 million tonnes. Unfortunately, export volumes going through the Western borders - the Polish, Hungarian, Slovak borders - are very small today. It is approximately up to 300,000 tonnes a month. But the option of using motorways in Romania for export is also available to us. If we can't export via the Black Sea, we'll definitely be able to deliver 3.7 million-3.8 million tonnes of our agricultural products to the world market. But it's a small amount," Ukrainian media quoted Solomchuk as saying at a press briefing on Monday.

Ukraine needs to ship abroad up to 6 million tonnes of agricultural products in order to maintain stable exports given the current volume of production by its agricultural enterprises, he said.

"An alternative is delivery by grain cars, trucks, small vessels along the Danube, if we agree on the transfer of cargoes in Romania from small ships to larger ones, so that they don't enter the Port of Constanta and don't take up a lot of time. In this case, it'll be possible to increase grain exports to 4.5 million tonnes this year. But it is also a small figure, because, given our agrarians' production volumes, we need [to ship abroad] 6 million tonnes in order to maintain stable exports," the parliamentarian said.

"To this end, it would be good if EU countries helped unblock unimpeded transit through Poland and other EU countries, because now they are allowing the transit of a very insignificant amount," he said.

If Russia refuses to prolong the grain deal, the Ukrainian government has already earmarked 20 billion hryvni in the budget as guarantees for insurance of cargoes and vessels that could enter the Odessa region's ports at their own risk for loading, Solomchuk said.