Ukraine asks for subsidizing transportation of agrifood to faraway ports at 30 euros per tonne

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - The subsidization of Ukrainian agricultural produce transportation to faraway ports in the amount of 30 euros per tonne could significantly accelerate exports and make them more dynamic in the 2023 season, Ukrainian media quoted Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Nikolai Solsky as saying during a national TV marathon.

Ukraine considered using faraway ports for exporting its foodstuffs last year, Solsky said. In waiting for a new harvest in summer 2023, government officials have conducted negotiations with the European Union and asked for subsidizing transit of agricultural produce to ports of Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, and the Netherlands, as well as Adriatic ports in Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, he said.

The transit of Ukrainian agricultural produce from the country's borders to the port of Gdansk costs 40 euros per tonne and to the port of Hamburg 70+ euros per tonne, he said. The prices are changing regularly, as the market is seasonal and depends on many other factors, he said.

"We believe that, in principle, compensation in the amount of 30 euros per tonne would be similar for all directions. This is something that would add dynamism [to the transportation] and solve a lot of problems," he said.

Ukraine has been exporting grain via Danube ports since April 2022, and a lot of decisions have been made and have yet to be made concerning this export channel, Solsky said. In particular, the relevant canal was dredged to deepen it by one meter, which enabled numerous transshipments, he said.

Ukraine has agreements with Romania and has concluded agreements on additionally discounted transit with Bulgaria over the past month, he said.

A delegation from China arrived in Warsaw last week to resume the work of a Ukrainian-Chinese working group to launch exports of new products, Solsky said. Among other things, its participants also discussed grain exports.