Ukrainian farmers struggle to sell wheat left in stocks due to war

By Davit Kachkachishvili

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AA) - Ukrainian farmers are looking for an alternative route to transport the thousands of tons of grain stock in the Odesa Port.

While the Russian war on Ukraine continues, the Ukrainian people in the eastern villages do not leave the wheat fields despite the risk of attacks.

Farmers continue to do agricultural work in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that were hit by Russian bombardments.

They have difficulty in marketing their wheat in stocks from last year, and are getting ready for the new harvest season in 20 days.

Russia and Ukraine, major global grain exporters, last year had a share of around 30% of wheat exports globally.

Maksim Vorobyov, a 34-year-old farmer living in the village of Mykolaipillya, near the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, has recently been the target of Russian bombardments.

He told Anadolu Agency that they continue to work on agricultural products, while facing the risk of Russian attacks.

It was much easier to sell their products before the war started on Feb. 24, he said, adding that large companies visit the region to buy locally produced wheat.

He added that the logistics chain in the region was disintegrated due to the war and did not function as regularly as it used to.

"We have to keep the harvests we have. If the war had not started, we would have sold all the harvest in the warehouse in February,” he said.

He added that they have started to prepare for the collection of new wheat in the fields. "In 20 days, new crops will be collected. We are preparing for this,” he said.

Some companies have opened new channels to deliver grain to Europe, he said, adding that products can be delivered more easily from Poland, Moldova, and Romania to countries in central Europe.

Clashes (with Russian forces) took place 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from their village, he recalled: "Of course, there are great risks. Some families left the region. But most farmers protect their fields and harvests."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is ready for unhindered grain exports, including exports of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports, while it requires the lifting of sanctions that have been imposed on Russia due to Moscow's war on Kyiv.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar in Ankara.