Maritime route again most profitable for Ukrainian agricultural exports - minister

MOSCOW. Jan 26 (Interfax) - Over the past three months, there has been positive dynamics in transportation of exported agricultural products across the Black Sea, which helps Ukraine ease the pressure and cut grain exports to the European Union, Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Nikolai Solsky told Ukrainian media.

"It [positive dynamics in transportation of agrarian products by sea] has been observed for two or even three months. [...] We have been doing well at sea since last fall. For instance, about 5 million out of 7.3 million agrarian products were exported by sea, in addition to over 1 million tonnes by the Danube and the rest across Western borders," Solsky said, referring to exports of grain, sunflower oil and meal.

The priority in choosing routes for Ukrainian agrarian exports has shifted, he said.

"Any market actor will tell you now that prices at Ukrainian ports are 90% more competitive than they are at Western borders. There has been a palpable change in this area [owing to the maritime corridor unilaterally declared by Ukraine]," Solsky said.

He said he had negotiations with a number of European agriculture ministers while visiting the Green Week exhibition in Germany and tried to explain that the fight against Ukrainian agricultural exports to the European Union "is a virtual problem."

"Even if the neighboring countries scrap their grain restrictions tomorrow, that will not change anything. As a maximum, exports will come from border territories, where grain is still available. Yet this is the second half of the season [selling Ukrainian grain at world markets]. Everything goes to ports, and nothing changes. The Black Sea has again become the most profitable route for Ukrainian agrarian exports, as it was before the crisis," Solsky said.