More than half a million tons of grain have been exported from Ukraine across the Black Sea since the beginning of August, the United Nations said Tuesday.
Since Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye and the UN agreed to open the Black Sea route at the end of July, 36 passages have been approved, the UN said, adding that 21 ships left Ukraine for the Bosporus and 15 moved through the strait in the direction of the war-torn country.
A total of 27 freighters were searched in Türkiye as stipulated by the agreement.
It is estimated that more than 20 million tons of grain products are stuck in Ukraine since Russia attacked its neighbour in late February and blockaded the country's ports.
More than a quarter of all outgoing grain shiploads have so far been destined for Türkiye, 22% for Iran and South Korea, 8% for China and 6% for Ireland, the UN said.
On Tuesday, a first freighter on behalf of the United Nations set off for Djibouti in East Africa.
So far, a little more than 560,000 tons of grain products have been exported, namely corn, sunflower meal and wheat.
At the end of July, the warring parties concluded agreements with Turkey and the United Nations to guarantee a transport route for ships carrying agricultural goods from the war zone.
The UN fears food shortages and hunger in poor parts of the world if Ukraine fails as a major grain supplier.
