Grain shipments to the Ukrainian ports of Odessa,Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny have plummeted by over 84% in early August, according to data from Spike Brokers, brokerage firm specializing in the grain and oilseed markets. During the first five days of month,only 40,800 tons of grain were transported by rail to these ports,a stark decline compared to the 258,000 tons recorded in the same period in July.
Overall,rail transport of grain and milled products saw a significant drop, totaling 182,000 tons, which is 44.1% lower than previous month. This downturn reflects a broader trend in agricultural exports, as the report from Spike Brokers indicates a shift in transport dynamics. While rail shipments to seaports have decreased, overland rail crossings and road exports have become more active.
From August 1 to 5,exports of agricultural products reached 59,600 tons, marking 11.3% increase compared to 53,600 tons during the same timeframe in July. average daily transfer of grain cargoes across border crossings was recorded at 142 railcars, slightly up from 139 railcars in July.
The route to Romania saw the most significant increase, with daily railcar transfers rising to 31.2, up by 29.3 railcars from the previous month . Conversely,Poland increased its handover rate to 27.4 railcars per day, a rise of 13.8. However,Hungary and Slovakia experienced reductions,with figures dropping to 23 railcars per day and 14.2 railcars per day,respectively.
Despite decline in overall agricultural exports,road transport has gained momentum at the start of August . However, capacity of this mode of transport remains inadequate to compensate for the significant reduction in grain shipments through seaports. The accumulation of grain railcars heading toward the border increased from 369 to 521,a rise of 41.2%.
Additionally, activity on the Danube route has surged, with number of grain railcars climbing to 1,296,an increase of 155 . The average daily unloading rate also improved, reaching 157 wagons,up by 106 from the previous month. These shifts in transport patterns highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Ukraine's agricultural sector amid fluctuating export dynamics.
