ANKARA, Jan 9 Share of grain delivered to countries in need through the «grain corridor», amounted to only 5.4%, said the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey Vahit Kirishchi.
The grain deal, which was signed on July 22 last year by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, involves the export of Ukrainian grain, food and fertilizer across the Black Sea from three ports, including Odessa. The contract expired on November 18, but meant an automatic extension for 120 days in the absence of objections from the parties. The deal itself is an integral part of the package deal, which, among other things, provides for the unblocking of Russian exports of food and fertilizers — Moscow noted that this was precisely what was not fulfilled. At the same time, there were assurances from the UN that the restrictions would be lifted.
«As of January 8, 16.9 million tons of grain and food products were transported through the «grain corridor» on 633 ships. The share of grain going to the least developed countries was only 5.4%,» — cites the words of the Minister of the TV channel A Haber.
Earlier, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the possibility of sending free Russian grain and fertilizers to starving African countries. Putin pointed out in early September that the West was exporting the majority of Ukrainian grain to its own states, and not to needy countries in Africa. He stated that Moscow was ready to supply the poorest countries free of charge with the entire volume of grain that was intended for them under the grain deal.