Food exports from Ukrainian ports within the framework of the grain deal declined to 1.3 mln metric tons in May, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General on the Black Sea Initiative said on Tuesday.
"The Secretary-General is disappointed by the slowing pace of inspections and the exclusion of the port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi from the Black Sea Initiative. This has resulted in a reduction in the movement of vessels coming in and out of Ukrainian sea ports, leading to a drop in the supply of essential foodstuffs to global markets," the statement reads.
"Food exports through the maritime humanitarian corridor have dropped significantly from a peak of 4.2 million metric tonnes in October 2022 to 1.3 million metric tonnes in May, the lowest volume since the Initiative began last year," the Spokesperson said in the statement.