Page 54 - UKRRptDec23

● Introduce new technologies and practices for processing grain products to increase productivity by at least 25%
● Develop a long-term export strategy and increase sales volumes by 20% through five new export channels and sales markets for processed products ● To increase sales volume in foreign markets.
In the new season, Ukraine has supplied more than 12 million tons of grain to world markets. For comparison, from July 1 to November 23 last season, Ukraine exported 16.6 million tons of grain and legumes. That is, exports fell by 27.7%.
Results from the second Grain from Ukraine international summit: $100M has been accumulated to continue the initiative. The International Grain from Ukraine Summit was held in Kyiv on the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-1933. Lithuania will provide €2M within the framework of the initiative by the end of the year and will increase the transit capacity of the Baltic ports for Ukrainian exports, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrid Šimonite said at a joint press conference with the presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland. The leader of Switzerland, Alain Berset, emphasized that his country joined the Grain from Ukraine initiative to guarantee food security and will provide more than €3M. Meanwhile, Finland will provide Ukraine with €3M in aid to improve food security, where €2M will go to the Grain from Ukraine initiative, and the rest will go for demining. Sweden will provide more than €8.7M, and Austria will provide €3.8M. According to President Zelenskyy, $100M has already been raised to continue the Grain from Ukraine program. The president expects that the amount will double during the next year.
UZ increased the volume of transported grain and grinding products by 5.8%. Ukrainian Railways (UZ) in January-October 2023 increased the transportation volume of grain and grinding products by 5.8% year over year (1.32 million tons) to 24.26 million tons. In 10 months, 17.55 million tons of grain and grinding products were transported in export traffic, which is 0.7% or 129,000 tons less than in the same period last year. In total, 10.46 million tons of grain cargo were transported by rail to ports in 10 months, 15% less than in the same period of 2022. At the same time, the volume of transportation in the direction of border crossings amounted to 7.09 million tons (+31%). Volumes of grain cargo transportation to the ports have been increasing since August in connection with the start of work on the temporary sea corridor organized by Ukraine. In October, the share of grain transportation toward ports was 56.8%.
Ukraine will receive warships and anti-aircraft defense for the grain corridor. Military ships and air defense systems will protect ships transporting grain in the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "Soon, the Odesa region will be protected by a very powerful air defense system. Not only ships are important to us, but also the people who live there," he emphasized. It should be noted that the French ambassador to Ukraine, Gael Vessier, stressed that one of the priorities of French and European diplomacy is the support of a new grain corridor that works without Russia’s participation. "This includes strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian air defense forces," the diplomat added. At the same time, he is convinced that it is necessary to develop other export routes, particularly routes along the Danube River and overland. As of November 24, 153 civilian ships with food have passed through the Black Sea Humanitarian Corridor.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has claimed that Russia sold $1bn of Ukrainian grain on world markets on November 26. Russia has stolen and exported $1bn worth of Ukrainian grain on world commodities markets, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on November 24 at a grain market forum in Kyiv. "The occupiers have prepared technical means to steal and take away 12,000 tonnes of grain from the captured territories every day."
54 UKRAINE Country Report December 2023 www.intellinews.com