Renewed attacks on ports and vessels disrupt grain exports during the summer harvest
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
KYIV, UKRAINE (Worthy News) – Intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and commercial vessels have effectively revived a Black Sea blockade, threatening Ukraine’s agricultural economy and raising concerns over global food supplies.
Missile and drone strikes around Odesa have prompted shipowners to suspend arrivals, leaving key ports without incoming vessels for nearly two weeks during the summer harvest.
Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi warned that more than 30 million tons of grain and oilseeds could be prevented from reaching international markets unless maritime traffic resumes.
Ukraine recorded dozens of attacks against vessels and port facilities in July. Ukrainian officials said one strike on a corn-carrying ship near Odesa killed 10 people, most of them foreign nationals.
Russia says it is targeting vessels and infrastructure connected to Ukrainian military operations. Moscow claimed Tuesday that it struck several ships and port facilities near Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Chornomorsk.
The disruption has pushed Ukrainian agricultural prices sharply lower. Vysotskyi estimated that losses to the sector could reach between $1.5 billion and $3 billion this year.
Rail, road, and Danube River routes are being expanded, but officials say they cannot replace the capacity of the Black Sea ports. Low water levels on the Danube have also limited that alternative.
Ukraine remains a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil. A prolonged blockade could drive food prices higher, particularly in poorer nations across Africa and the Middle East.
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