Grain ships leave Ukraine ports

Javascript is required to use this website.

1 of 2

A boat with Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. officials heads Aug. 3 to the Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni, to check if the grain shipment is in accordance with a crucial agreement signed this past month by Moscow and Kyiv. The inspection area is in the Black Sea off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey. The cargo ship Razoni, loaded with 26,000 tons of corn, set sail Aug. 1 from Ukraine's port of Odesa, enroute to its final destination in Lebanon.

Emrah Gurel/AP

Chris McCullough

Chris McCullough For Agri-View

UKRAINE – Thousands of tonnes of grain and sunflower oil have left Ukrainian ports on five ships that have secured safe passage out of the war zone. Following the successful journey of the first grain ship this past week, four ships left this week. Several other vessels are preparing to transport the in-demand grain to customers.

The cargo ship Razoni sails Aug. 1 from the port of Odesa in Ukraine, headed to the port of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Reuters

With 20 years experience behind him, award-winning agricultural journalist Chris McCullough is always on the hunt for his next story. He grew up on the family dairy farm in the heart of Northern Ireland and is based on the country’s east coast. He travels around the world to bring readers international news. He has many friends and colleagues in Ukraine.

United States, Ukraine partner for farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine to enhance coordination between the U.S. and Ukrainian agricultural and food sectors as well as to build a strategic partnership to address food security.

“Since February the world has witnessed Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the disruption it’s causing to agricultural production, trade, and most importantly, food security,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Russia’s actions are posing major threats not only to the people of Ukraine but to countries in Africa and the Middle East that rely on the grains and other staples produced in Ukraine. Russia is using food as a weapon and a tool of war to threaten the livelihoods of those around the world, and that is something the agriculture community cannot and will not stand for.

“Ukraine needs the world’s support. I met with Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi to express the USDA’s commitment to helping rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s agricultural sector. This (Memorandum of Understanding) will amplify the strategic partnership between our two nations and leverage our collective strength to enhance productivity, address supply-chain issues and identify food-security challenges. This is an important step forward and when implemented will allow us to better fight global food insecurity together.”

The Memorandum of Understanding will establish a three-year partnership driven by the need to address the economic disruptions in the United States and worldwide due to the Russian war on Ukraine. It’s the latest action being taken by the USDA as the Biden-Harris Administration addresses those problems through an all-of-government approach.

Through the Memorandum of Understanding the United States and Ukraine will agree to the consistent exchange of information and expertise regarding crop production, emerging technologies, climate-smart practices, food security and supply-chain issues to boost productivity and enhance both agricultural sectors. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service will also mobilize its resources to provide Ukraine technical assistance for animal health, biosecurity, and sanitary and phytosanitary controls. It plans to utilize the Borlaug Fellowship Program and re-establish the Cochran Fellowship Program to enhance U.S.-Ukraine collaboration and research as Ukraine rebuilds its agricultural sector. – from the USDA