Russian and Ukrainian grain is piling up in and around the Port of Istanbul instead of being distributed to global markets.

According to the UN, there are efforts to have the grain shipped along from Türkiye, but ships are currently accumulating.

”There are currently over 150 vessels waiting around Istanbul to move and these delays have the potential to cause disruptions to the supply chain and port operations,” says UN spokesperson for the Black Sea Grain Initiative Ismini Palla on Monday, according to Reuters.

The UN, Ukraine, Russia and Türkiye are behind the agreement about exports of grain via the Black Sea.

But the massive grain volumes are not moving at the intended pace, and the reason for this is Russia, according to Ukraine.

”We have reason to believe that delays in Russian inspections of ships under the grain deal are politically motivated,” reads a statement from the Ukrainian foreign ministry on Monday.

Earlier month, Russia sent a list to the UN with complaints about the deal on grain exports via the Black Sea.

At the time, Russia’s representative to the UN office in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, said that Moscow was not prepared to renew the deal next month unless Russian demands were taken seriously.

The grain deal, which was made in July with the UN and Türkiye as mediators, ensures that ships loaded with grain from Ukraine and Russia are able to reach world markets in spite of the ongoing war.

The two countries are among the world’s leading grain exporters. Russia is also the largest global exporter of fertilizers.

Russia has complained that it has had difficulties distributing grain and fertilizers despite the deal, which will expire on Nov. 19.

”The UN convenes the parties daily and has urged full and good faith participation and the need for additional urgent measures to be taken so the supply chain does not get disrupted and the initiative continues to deliver more and much needed food to the world,” says the UN’s Palla.

The grain deal means that Ukraine is able to ship grain from three of the country’s ports. These routes had otherwise been closed after the Russian invasion.

Ukraine has so far exported 8.5 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs from the ports since the agreement came into force.

English edit: Kristoffer Grønbæk

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