FAO to purchase grain storage equipment for Ukraine amid Russia-induced shortages

“In the coming days, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will announce a tender for the purchase of the necessary equipment – polymer sleeves for grain storage, loader-unloaders, as well as modular grain warehouses,” Mykhalchuk said.

Earlier, the government introduced tax relief on imports of such supplies.

In the coming days, the FAO will announce a tender for the purchase of equipment for the temporary storage of grain from the new crop grain. It will be available to farmers from 20 oblasts across Ukraine, Mykhalchuk said.

According to an FAO rep, as a result of Russian aggression, 14% of Ukrainian granaries were damaged or destroyed, and 10% are located on territories captured by Russia. Of the available warehouses, 35% are filled with grain and oil crops from last year’s harvest awaiting export.

The terms for participating in the project will be announced in the near future.

The additional storage capacity will cover 25% of the national demand.

It was previously reported that the cost of the FAO project to help Ukrainian farmers to preserve the harvest expected in July-August, and ensuring the export of the most important agricultural products to international markets, is estimated at $17 million.

“The Rada: 7548−1 supported as a whole (304 votes) the exemption from import duty taxation in Ukraine of bags, (polymer) sleeves for storing grain and oil crops, and equipment for their filling, loading, unloading,” Zheleznyak wrote.

The document states that due to the insufficient number of elevators, there was a problem with grain storage. The solution to this problem is the use of temporary means of grain storage: sacks and sleeves (polyethylene sacks, and polymer sleeves that can be loaded with up to 200 tons of grain and kept directly on the field), temporary silos, as well as machines (equipment) designed for loading and unloading them.

According to the authors of the bill, it is necessary to import and install in Ukraine about 80,000 polymer sleeves, at least 80 sets of machines (equipment) for their loading, as well as temporary silos. But this is hindered by their shortage and high prices — a single sleeve for storing 180 (200) tonnes of grain costs about $1,000.

In the sea ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk, which are under a Russian sea blockade, 17 ships have already been loaded with grain, ten of which are ready to sail.

Tags: Ukraine, FAO, grain storage, war