Some 30.3 million tons of grain have been transported by 953 ships to the world market through the Black Sea grain corridor since August 2022, a senior official from the Trade Ministry has announced.

Russia and Ukraine had signed separate agreements with Türkiye and the United Nations for the resumption of export of their food products, including grain, fertilizers and other products to the world markets through the Black Sea. It was meant to avoid a growing food crisis in the world, as Russia and Ukraine are the world’s two largest grain suppliers.

Yusuf Karakaş, deputy director-general of International Service Trade and Grain Corridor Coordinator of the ministry, said that the amount of grain that has been transported so far is equivalent to 16.8 billion bread.

Karakaş noted that 50 percent of the transported grains are corn, 27 percent are wheat, and 6 percent are sunflower pulp.

Expressing the grain corridor plays an essential role in the food needs of poor countries, Karakaş said, “If this process had not come into play, a serious food crisis and hunger could have been experienced in some regions.”

The most product shipments were made to China with a ratio of 23 percent through the corridor, while Spain and Türkiye followed the Asian country, with 18 and 11.87 percent, respectively, he said.

A total of 222 ships reached Türkiye, and 420 ships departing from the country used the grain corridor, Karakaş aid.

Explaining that they carried out the evacuation of 411 trucks stranded in the region to Türkiye at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Karakaş said, “In the first moments of the war, we had 53 ships in Russian and Ukrainian ports.”

“We ensured that 41 ships reached Türkiye at different times. We have made the necessary plans for the transfer of the remaining ships to the country,” he said.

On May 17, the deal was extended for two months just a day before its expiration.

 

 

 

hurriyetdailynews.com