Ukraine seeks to expand product range for exports via seaports

KIEV: Ukraine has considered expanding the range of goods for exports via its seaports and stands ready to discuss the issue with Turkey, state media reported.

"We are raising a question about the possibility of expanding the range of export of goods from Ukraine in the future," Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar was cited by the state media as saying.

Currently, the "green corridor" from the Ukrainian ports is working smoothly under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Xinhua news agency quoted the envoy as saying.

Soon Ukraine and Turkey are due to hold talks over the extension of the deal, Bodnar said.

Amid the raging war, Ukraine and Russia on July 22 separately signed a deal with Turkey and the UN in Istanbul to resume food and fertilizer shipments from Ukrainian ports to international markets via the Black Sea.

Since the deal came into effect, a total of 331 vessels carrying 7.38 million tonnes of agricultural products have departed from the Ukrainian ports to the countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, according to the Infrastructure Ministry in Kiev.

The agreement is due to expire on November 19.