Ukraine asks Romania and Poland to increase railway capacity for agricultural exports

Against the backdrop of the blockade of the Black Sea ports, Ukraine is turning to partner countries to increase the export of agricultural products through alternative routes.

This was stated by the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

According to him, Ukraine has turned to Romania and Poland with a request to increase the throughput capacity of their railways.

“Today, Ukrzaliznytsia could deliver more agricultural products to the border with Romania or Poland than the railways of these countries can pass further. Therefore, we ask to increase the number of trains that can pass per day by at least 50%. As for road transport, increasing the volume of transportation in this way is very expensive and difficult,” the minister said.

In particular, negotiations were previously underway with Poland to increase transit to 600 thousand tons of agricultural products per month.

According to Vysotsky, such a volume is possible if everything goes as favorably as possible.

“In July, we transported 400 thousand tons of agricultural products by road and rail together through Poland. In August, we managed to reach 530 thousand tons. That is, there is progress, and the goal of increasing this volume to 600 thousand tons per month is quite realistic. Perhaps we will be able to reach even 650 thousand tons per month,” the Minister of Agricultural Policy shared.

As previously reported by USM, the UCAB called on the UZ to reconsider the decision regarding grain carriers. The association expressed concern about the intentions of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia to effectively completely restrict the access of private railcar fleet to 1435 mm wagons from October 1.