KYIV, Aug 18 – Ukraine will seek to expand its exports of grain to new markets as part of the government’s strategy of turning the country into one of the world’s biggest food producers.

Algeria will increase imports of Ukrainian grain as climate change make it harder to grow more food in Africa, while Ukraine is on course to produce more grain this marketing season.

Ukraine has already harvested 29 million tons of wheat this season, which is 4 million tons more than last season, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"This year we can reach all-time high yields compared to previous years,” Shmyhal said. “More than 29 million tons of wheat have already been harvested. Corresponding figures show that, before finishing the season, we have already received 4 million tons more than last year as a whole."

Algeria has agreed to bring its existing tender requirements for grain imports closer to generally accepted market standards, in particular to the level of other North African countries, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) reported.

Algeria officials said the country will increase grain imports in the future due to changing climatic conditions, and Ukraine can become its major partner in the grain trade.

"Algeria has set tender requirements for wheat imports at a level that the Black Sea region cannot actually meet. That is why Ukraine exports a very small amount of grain to Algeria. In the last 2020/2021 grain season, Ukraine exported only a little more than 200,000 tons of grain to Algeria," UGA said.

UGA said there is currently not enough grain in Ukraine that meets the limits established by Algeria on the content of grains damaged by insects at the level of 0.5%. An increase in this indicator to the level of 1%, as is customary in most wheat importing countries from North Africa, could significantly increase the supply for Algeria from Ukraine. So, for example, for Morocco and Egypt this figure is limited to 1%, and for Tunisia it is not limited at all.

UGA President Mykola Horbachev said that bilateral trade in grain can be significantly improved with streamlining tender requirements for grain imports closer to generally accepted market standards. (tl/ez)