Ukrainian farmers have an urgent need to increase logistics capacity and find solutions to overcome some of narrow railway tracks when exporting agricultural products through Romania. The Ukrainian AgriCouncil (UAC) appealed to the international organization FAO with a request to facilitate the adoption of positive decisions by the Romanian government on the above-mentioned issues.

Nowadays, Ukrainian ships carrying grain and oil crops cannot set sail because the seaports are blocked by Russian warships. Ukraine had to radically change the logistics of exporting grain and other agricultural products — to use trains, trucks and ports on the Danube. In this regard, Ukrainian farmers are grateful for Romania's liberalization of transport conditions for Ukrainian exports. However, there is still an urgent need to increase logistics capacity and find solutions to overcome some of the remaining difficulties in exporting to Romania.

"We ask you to support and facilitate the adoption by the Romanian government our proposals aimed at promoting the export of Ukrainian food products in order not only to strengthen support for Ukraine, but also to prevent the further escalation of global food insecurity," is mentioned in the UAC’s letter to FAO.

In response, FAO said that within its rights it advocates that trade channels remain open to ensure the proper functioning of supply chains and not be interrupted by any political measures.

"The organization supports international efforts to improve the functionality of food supply chains in the region, paying special attention to Ukraine. FAO's rapid response plan for Ukraine in 2022 includes project measures that will further strengthen local supply chains and help to eliminate losses," is mentioned by FAO.

Regarding specific measures to expand opportunities for Ukrainian exports through Romania, FAO believes that each member of the organization has the right to implement its own policy. Therefore, defining the importance of promoting the export of Ukrainian food products, FAO cannot intervene in political changes regarding Romania, as this is outside the organization's opportunities.

Detailed proposals of the UAC regarding the possibilities of expanding food exports through Romania are listed below:

• usage of Romania's logistics capabilities, in particular the technical capabilities of the Constanţa port, for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, including grain, to the traditional markets of Ukraine in the MENA countries, which are the most dependent on food supplies from Ukraine; as well as the creation of capacities in Romanian ports - Ukraine is ready to help load them as much as possible;
• increasing the number of additional barges for the transportation of export products (including grain) from the ports of Reni and Izmail;
• usage of capacities of Romanian ports in the reverse mode, including for the supply of fuel to Ukraine, etc.;
• construction of efficient multimodal terminals in ports along the Danube River in order to effectively connect inland waterways, railways and roads of our countries and the EU.
• increase in transshipment of vessels and cargo turnover in the ports of the Danube region;
• involvement of additional berths for border and customs inspection in the port of Sulina to ensure the inspection of at least six vessels at the same time (currently, only two berths can carry out registration at the same time);
• revision of the Sulynsky Canal’s schedule and, if necessary, to ​​increase of the daytime period of permitted vessel traffic in both directions by 1 hour before dawn and 1 hour after sunset; application of one-way traffic at night, if one of the directions is overloaded with ships.