Summary Russia has threatened not to extend Black Sea grain dealUkraine underlines importance of Danube River exportsUkraine also exports via Romanian port of ConstantaKYIV, June 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine must be ready to export grain almost exclusively via its Danube River ports because Russia is effectively blocking Black Sea shipments, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on Tuesday.
The United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal between Moscow and Kyiv last July on the safe passage of Black Sea grain to help tackle a global food crisis worsened by Russia's invasion of its neighbour and a blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
With a working grain corridor, about half of its agricultural exports are shipped via Black Sea ports, a quarter pass through its Danube ports and a quarter go via its western border.
ROMANIAN TRANSITThe sea ports authority said this month three Ukrainian Danube river ports had exported a record 3 million tonnes of food in May.
Ukrainian officials have said transit via Romanian territory to Constanta port on the Black Sea will also be critically important if Russia quits the Black Sea grain deal.
Persons:
Dmytro Barinov, Denys Shmyhal, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy
Organizations:
Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, United, Ukrainian, Facebook, Kyiv, Romanian, Timothy Heritage, Thomson
Locations:
Russia, Black, Ukraine, Constanta KYIV, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Ukrainian, ROMANIAN, Constanta