France, Romania to agree deal to boost Ukrainian grain exports, says minister – The Peninsula

France, Romania to agree deal to boost Ukrainian grain exports, says minister – The Peninsula

PARIS: France's transport minister said on Sunday he would sign an agreement with Romania to help increase Ukrainian grain exports to developing countries including to the Mediterranean.

Ukraine's grain exports have slumped since the start of the war because its Black Sea ports, a key route for shipments, were closed off, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.

Romania, the EU's second-largest exporter of wheat to non-EU countries, including Egypt, after France and the largest in maize (corn), has been one of the alternative routes used to export Ukrainian grain.

"Tomorrow, I will sign an accord with Romania that will allow Ukraine to get even more grains out ... towards Europe and developing countries, notably in the Mediterranean (countries)which need it for food," Clement Beaune told France Inter radio, adding that the deal covered exports by land, sea and river.

According to a draft agreement of the French-Romanian deal, seen by Reuters, Paris would cooperate in developing a project aimed at increasing efficiency at the port of Galati, equipping border points in northern Romania, maximising the use of grain containers stationed in the port of Constanța as well as increasing the capacity there and in