Ukraine. To help export grains, the EC wants “solidarity corridors”. “Gigantic Challenge”

As a result of the Russian invasion and blockade of Ukrainian ports, grain and other products from Ukraine cannot be delivered to their destinations. This threatens global food security and there is an urgent need to create alternative logistic routes using all possible modes of transport.

Ukraine will benefit from EU infrastructure?

in Thursday’s press release, she unveiled an action plan to establish “solidarity corridors” so that Ukraine can export grains and import the goods it needs – from humanitarian aid to animal feed and fertilizers.

You can read more information from Ukraine on the home page

20 million tonnes of cereals are to be exported from Ukraine within three months using EU infrastructure. This is a gigantic challenge, so it is essential to coordinate and optimize logistics chains, introduce new routes and avoid bottlenecks as much as possible

said EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean.

The Commission proposed emergency solutions as well as medium and long-term actions aimed at better connection and integration of Ukrainian infrastructure with the EU. – For both medium and long-term solutions, we will work with the Ukrainian authorities and work closely especially with neighboring Member States that have spared no effort in helping during this crisis, said Valean.

Ukrainian wagons are not compatible with most of the European Union rail network

On the Ukrainian side, thousands of wagons and trucks are waiting for clearance. The average waiting time for wagons is 16 days, and at some borders it can even reach 30 days. Even more grain that is ready for export is waiting for export in Ukrainian silos. Different track gauges are a challenge: Ukrainian wagons are not compatible with most of the EU rail network, so most of the goods have to be reloaded to lorries or wagons that fit the standard EU track gauge. The process is time consuming and there are not many reloading facilities along the borders.

, The European Commission will work together with Member States and stakeholders to increase the infrastructure capacity of the new export corridors and to create new infrastructure links as part of the reconstruction of Ukraine. In the short term, it will work on the following activities:

• Additional freight rolling stock, ships and trucks: The Commission urges EU market participants to make additional vehicles available as a matter of urgency. In order to match demand and supply and build appropriate contacts, the Commission will set up a logistic matching platform and will ask Member States to designate dedicated solidarity corridor contact points (one-stop-shop).
• Capacity of transport networks and transhipment terminals: Ukrainian agricultural export shipments should be prioritized and infrastructure managers should make available slots for these exports. The Commission is also urging market players to urgently hand over mobile cereal handling equipment to the appropriate border terminals to speed up transhipment. The road transport agreement with Ukraine will also remove bottlenecks. To encourage EU hauliers to allow their vehicles to enter Ukraine, the Commission will also explore the possibility of introducing additional financial guarantees.
• Customs operations and other inspections: The Commission calls on national authorities to use maximum flexibility and to provide adequate staff to speed up procedures at border crossing points.
• Storage of goods in the territory of the EU: The Commission will assess the available storage capacity in the EU and coordinate efforts with Member States to help ensure greater interim storage of Ukrainian export goods.

Ukraine. The Russians steal grain and sell it, among others in Syria

The Russians have already stolen half a million tons of grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine. They take them by sea, among others to Syria. For this purpose, they use ports located in Crimea.

According to the information provided by the head of the Ukrainian ministry of diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, the value of the stolen grain is over USD 100 million. Currently, almost all ships that depart from the port of Sevastopol transport stolen agricultural products from Ukraine. Part of the grain is sold by Russia to Syria.

Dmytro Kuleba noted that earlier Ukrainian diplomats had prevented Egypt and Libya from purchasing stolen Ukrainian grain. He added that all entities involved in the illegal trade in Ukrainian agricultural production commit a crime and will be punished for it. As a result of military operations conducted from February 24, the Russians seized, among others, Kherson region in the south of the country. There, in addition to the cultivation of cereals, the production of fruit and vegetables is also developed.

Help Ukraine, join the collection. You deposit money on the website