The Importance of Black Sea Ports for Ukraine’s 30 Million Metric Tons of Agricultural Exports Is Growing

Security concerns at the Black Sea ports used for Ukraine’s agricultural exports are putting the shipment of approximately 30 million tonnes of agricultural produce at risk. The capacity of alternative rail and river transport routes for the export of these goods—estimated to be worth around 10 billion dollars—can only meet half of the required volume. It is noted that these constraints on export flows could have an impact on producers’ incomes and the financing of future sowing seasons.

During a meeting between Taras Vysotskyi, Ukraine’s Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food, and Neil Crompton, the UK Ambassador to Ukraine, discussions centred on restoring maritime exports, preventing the illegal removal of grain from temporarily occupied territories, and agricultural trade relations between the two countries.

The meeting assessed the impact of attacks on port infrastructure and civilian vessels on agricultural logistics. As of June 2026, approximately 90 per cent of Ukraine’s agricultural exports were being carried out via Black Sea ports in the Odessa region. It was noted that, given the deteriorating security situation, shipments would need to be redirected to rail and river transport; however, these routes also face security risks and have limited capacity.

Vysotskyi stated that Ukraine needs to export approximately 60 million tonnes of agricultural products annually, or 5 million tonnes per month. The Minister stated that the maximum monthly capacity of alternative transport routes is approximately 2.5 million tonnes, noting that it would be extremely difficult to significantly increase this capacity in the short term.

It is assessed that a potential decline in export volumes could lead to a build-up of stock and make it difficult for producers to access the finance they require for the next planting season. Vysotskyi, whilst noting that there is sufficient capacity for storing the current harvest, emphasised that the fundamental issue is producers’ ability to sell their produce and finance the next production cycle. For this reason, the resumption of exports via Black Sea ports is among the top priorities.

Another item on the agenda was the prevention of the illegal removal of grain from temporarily occupied territories and its sale on international markets. It was noted that approximately 9.5 million tonnes of grain are produced annually in these regions, and the importance of efforts to verify the geographical origin of the produce was discussed.

In this context, attention was focused on the Grain Verification Scheme, developed by the United Kingdom, which aims to determine the origin of grain using scientific methods. The scheme is intended to help verify the origin of products and contribute to the prevention of illicit trade. Strengthening the trilateral cooperation between Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Latvia, and the finalisation of a memorandum of understanding regarding the verification of grain origin were also among the topics discussed.

The parties also assessed the development of bilateral agricultural trade. Ukraine’s agricultural exports to the United Kingdom reached $464.4 million in 2025. During the meeting, Ukraine’s expectations regarding the preservation of current free trade conditions beyond 2028 were expressed.

The development of irrigation systems to combat climate change, mine clearance operations on agricultural land and the effectiveness of credit programmes with favourable terms for producers were also raised. The importance of public support and international financing mechanisms in enabling producers to continue their activities and carry out their planting work was emphasised.