MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Ukraine exported half as much agricultural products in August as it did in July, according to the Ukrainian edition of Forbes.

The publication reported that August exports plunged by 47.5%, dropping to 1.726 million tons from 3.287 million tons in July.

According to data published on the magazine's Telegram channel, grain exports suffered the sharpest decline, with shipments of wheat, corn, and barley falling by 69.5%. Notably, deliveries to Turkey saw the biggest slump, plummeting by 79%.

Rail exports to ports also dropped sharply, falling by 81.8% between August 1 and 26. In particular, rail deliveries of grain to the ports of Odessa alone were down 95.5% compared to July.

Previously, Ukrainian agricultural producers reported a critical situation caused by the closure of the Greater Odessa ports, which traditionally handled the bulk of their exports. Farmers have been forced to use alternative routes via the Danube ports of Izmail, Reni, and Ust-Dunaisk, the Romanian port of Constanta, as well as road and rail links to the country's western border. However, these alternatives cannot compensate for the logistical losses from the Greater Odessa shutdown.

The standstill at the Black Sea ports coincided with the height of the harvest season. Producers, who urgently need working capital for the upcoming sowing season and to service bank debts, are unable to generate revenue from their crops. Local experts note that the country's total cultivated area has already shrunk. While Ukrainian authorities claim to be negotiating with partners for assistance in grain transit and export, the European Commission has noted that it is not yet ready to resume priority overland and river transit of Ukrainian grain through the EU.