Ukraine’s agriculture exports though the corridor have reached 14.3 million tons until now, since the new Black Sea shipping corridor was set up.

Total shipments via the corridor in the Black Sea topped 20 million tons, Ukraine’s infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Friday.

Approximately 20 million tons have been exported through the Ukraine’s corridor to 32 countries by 661 vessels, 14,3 million tons is agro products. “Ukraine support world food security,” noted Kubrakov.

New 104 vessels declared for arrival in order to export 3 million tons of cargo.

Shipments in January alone were 6.3 million tons, almost equal to the pre-war level, with more than 100 vessels expected to approach the seaports to export another 3 million tons.  

“Ukrainian ports increase export. In January 6.3 million tons were exported. It’s almost equal to the pre-war level,” the minister added.

Kyiv established the corridor to allow the shipping of critical commodities, especially grains, from its ports after Moscow in July pulled out the United Nations-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Infrastructure Minister Kubrakov said he was “grateful” to Ukraine’s international partners “for ensuring the operation of the Corridor in conditions of military aggression”.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian exports of grain have been severely disrupted. For over four months, Russian military vessels blocked Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

Between July 2022 and July 2023, there was an agreement between the United Nations, Türkiye and Russia to allow exports via a safe maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea (the Black Sea Grain Initiative).

Over 1000 ships full of grain and other foodstuffs left Ukraine from three Ukrainian ports (Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi) during the implementation of the initiative.

On 17 July 2023, Russia announced its decision to end the Black Sea Grain Initiative.