Despite the military risks, Ukraine is making significant progress in exporting by sea. Denys Marchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council (UAC), spoke on Suspilne TV channel about the current state and prospects of exporting Ukrainian agricultural products through seaports.

"If we talk about the work of seaports, the export figures are impressive. Since the beginning of 2024, we have reached the level of about 7 million tons per month. This proves that Ukraine is fulfilling its obligations to supply food, despite the military risks in the air and water. The extraordinary efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and all those involved in making the humanitarian corridor from Greater Odesa work are very important," said Denys Marchuk.

Over the past 11 months, 40.6 million tons of grain have been transshipped. The UAC Deputy Chairman noted that the figures could have been higher if it had been possible to expand exports by opening other ports. However, he expressed hope that the ports of Greater Odesa would expand their prospects due to cooperation with Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania on Black Sea demining.

"We hope that these actions will speed up exports in this marketing year. The problem is expensive logistics. The more ships enter, the more competition and better prices for agricultural producers to sell their products. The operation of the corridor in times of war is a positive signal for farmers," emphasized Denys Marchuk.

However, the expert drew attention to the negative consequences of tax changes for agribusiness and the drought, especially in the south of Ukraine. "If grain exports are important for Ukraine, there should be an appropriate tax policy. We are losing export potential due to the weather: heat and drought. According to preliminary estimates, soybean, corn and sunflower harvest losses may amount to 30-35%, and the gross harvest of grains and oilseeds will not exceed 70 million tons," summarized the UAC Deputy Chairman.