Export of agricultural crops from Ukraine, Russia and Romania through the Black Sea near the Dark Sea reached 6.4 mln tons

According to S&P Global Commodities at Sea, agricultural crop exports from Ukraine, Russia and Romania via the Black Sea totaled 6.4 million tonnes in February; Ukraine and Russia accounted for 3.5 million tonnes and 2.1 million tonnes, respectively, while Romania accounted for 700,000 tonnes. Before the war, in January 2022, exports were 6.8 million tonnes, 1.6 million tonnes and 1.2 million tonnes, respectively.

The Kremlin said the United States had agreed to support access for Russian agricultural commodities and fertilizers to world markets, including access to payment systems for such goods and to shipping services for trading them.

Agreeing on a deal would also mean lifting sanctions on Russian institutions such as Rosselkhozbank and restoring access to the SWIFT payment system for trading such goods, as well as access to financing and insurance systems, the Kremlin said in a statement carried by the TASS news agency.

Grain Exports

Russian grain exports from the Black Sea trading region increased in the first three months of 2025. Compared with the same period last year, grain volumes rose by 10%, with total transactions reaching 24.48 million tonnes in 2025, up from 22.29 million tonnes in 2024. These transactions were mainly carried out by Panamax-class vessels, followed by Supramax and then Handysizes.

Ukraine exported dry bulk from its ports in Greater Odessa through a corridor located just off its coast during 2024. The corridor replaced a UN-brokered agreement allowing the export of grain and other food products that expired in July 2023.

Shipping markets, including tankers, have faced volatility. Platts estimated the rate for shipping 135,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean at $14.86/t on March 24, up from $9.12/t at the start of the year and an average of $6.35/t per month before the conflict.

Russian fertilizer exports have continued with minor disruptions since the start of the war. According to the S&P Global Market Intelligence Global Trade Atlas, Russia exported just over 14 million tonnes of nitrogen fertilizer in 2024. This is about 6% more than the 13.2 million tonnes exported in 2021.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Black Sea region