First ship carrying grain leaves Ukraine under Russia deal

The first ship carrying grain has left a Ukrainian port under a landmark deal with Russia, as media reported. Turkish and Ukrainian officials said that the ship left the southern port of Odesa early yesterday morning. The Turkey in a statement said, the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel, the Razoni, would dock in Lebanon, adding that further shipments were planned over the coming weeks. 

The Joint Co-ordination Centre, set up in Istanbul under the deal, told that the ship was carrying some 26,000 tonnes of corn and was expected to arrive in Turkish waters for



inspection on Tuesday. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed the departure of the ship.

The Russia and Ukraine had agreed a deal to resume shipments. Last month's deal mediated by the UN and Turkey took two months to reach and is set to last for 120 days. It can be renewed, if both parties agree.

According to UN data, Russia and Ukraine jointly account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies. In 2019 Ukraine accounted for 16 per cent of the world's corn supplies and 42 per cent of sunflower oil.