A total of 231 ships with 5.3 million tons of agricultural products on board have left Ukraine so far under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye to unblock Ukrainian sea ports, the Ukrainian infrastructure ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said nine ships with 345,300 tons of agricultural products had left Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Tuesday, including capsize ship MARAN EXCELLENCE loaded with 115,000 tons of food.
Ukraine's grain exports slumped after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24 and blockaded its Black Sea ports, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.
Ukraine, a major global grain producer and exporter, shipped up to 6 million tons of grain per month before the war.
Three Black Sea ports were reopened under a deal signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv and the ministry has said these ports are able to load and send abroad 100-150 cargo ships per month.
