OUR Ukraine applied to the UN Turkey to start consultation in order to extend the agreement on the export of grainbut received no response, as it became known today from the official representative of the Ukrainian government.

Ukraine’s Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov, who is in charge of rebuilding the country, told Reuters last week that Kiev would ask the parties to start negotiations on an extension of the agreement, aiming to extend it by at least one year and include the Mycolife ports.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, launched in July with the mediation of Turkey under the auspices of the UN, allows the export of grain from three Ukrainian ports. It was extended in November and will have to be extended until March 18.

“We have sent a letter asking to start the process as March 18 approaches, but have not yet received a response,” said a Ukrainian official quoted by Reuters.

Grain exports from Ukraine in 2022/23, which will last until June, fell by almost 27% to 31.8 million tons as of February 27 due to a smaller harvest and logistical difficulties caused by the Russian invasion.