New data for the first five months of 2019 indicate that China, India, Egypt and Turkey are the leading directions of Ukrainian food exports.
Before the war, 90% of Ukraine’s exports left via deep ports in the Black Sea, which can load tankers large enough to travel long distances – to China or India – and still make a profit. But all are now closed. Russia has seized most of Ukraine’s coastline and blockaded the rest with a fleet of at least 20 vessels, including four submarines.
The main route out of the country now is rail. But Ukraine’s rail system is wider than the EU’s, which means loads have to be transferred to new wagons at the border. The average waiting time is 16 days but it can take up to 30.
Though the global conversation around food shortages is largely about wheat, most of the grain leaving Ukraine at the moment is corn.
