Minister: 1.5 million tonnes of grain are blocking the ports

About 1.5 million tons of grain were intercepted in Ukrainian ports, Agrarian Policy Minister Mykola Solsky said on Tuesday, May 31, Strana wrote.

“In total, about 20 million tons of grain from old crops should be released in Ukraine. In a month, we will harvest the new,” the minister explained.

While the ports are blocked, grain exports are passing through Ukraine’s western border.

“Export logistics is increasing every month, but it is not enough. Therefore, unblocking ports is definitely a priority. There are some complex nuances in this issue, because there is a military component, so not we can talk about everything, ”Solsky said.

The head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy also said that the sowing of the campaign in Ukraine is in its final stages.

“Now we are finishing sowing buckwheat and soybeans. This year it is a cold spring, and due to restrictions on the movement of equipment and lack of people, the time of sowing has been postponed,” he said.

In addition, the minister explained the situation with increasing prices for early vegetables, fruits and berries.

“First, it happened because of seasonality – early vegetables and fruits are always more expensive than the latter. Second, we planted early vegetables, fruits and berries in Kherson and Zaporozhye, because there is primary watering and heat. For clear “There is no harvest from there now. When coming from another region, it will be easier,” he assured.

According to him, there will be fewer problems with the supply of vegetables and fruits in Ukraine than expected.

“There will be some restrictions, but imported products will be imported. The market will balance this in the coming months. But it is clear that in the conditions of war, difficult logistics and the conquest of the territory that yielded early fruits and “vegetables, it’s going to be more expensive than normal. The business will replace vegetables and fruits from countries where logistics are cheaper, as well as where the nomenclature looks better and cheaper,” he said. he says.

“Vegetables are more expensive now. However, in the near future supply will increase, and prices will go up,” Solsky added.

As reported, following the results of the summit in Brussels, the European Union adopted a statement in which it turned to Russia with a request to unblock Ukrainian ports for grain exports.

Earlier today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was ready to let ships with Ukrainian grain into the Mediterranean Sea without removing sanctions, but the sea area needed to be cleaned.