Romania is one of five eastern European Union countries that saw an influx of Ukrainian grain since Russia's invasion, leading the EU to approve temporary trade restrictions. Meanwhile, Bucharest is considering measures to give Romanian farmers more access to Constanta during the harvest season, which would restrict the flow of Ukrainian grain. The port has a storage capacity of 2 million tonnes, but flows need to be stringently separated for origin certification.

CHALLENGE OF TWO FLOWSįurther complicating things, Constanta's storage capacity could be strained, a Ukrainian commodities analyst said. The port authority said it is working on a connected system that automates the flow of information at the port, but did not specify when it would be operational. 'Contracts are being signed with delivery in September.'ĭelays also stem from bottlenecks in connecting infrastructure and a lack of integrated digital system, operators said.

'Exporters are already no longer signing contracts with Constanta delivery for July-August, there is no more room, a lot of grain is expected to arrive,' Gheorghe said. Gheorghe estimated up to 27 million tonnes of Ukrainian grains and oilseeds could be sent through Constanta in the 2023/2024 season even if the corridor is extended, competing with 20-21 million tonnes from a promising Romanian harvest.Ĭombined, the two flows would almost double the 25 million tonnes of grain that Constanta handled annually at its peak, leading to congestion and delays. 'We are off harvesting season now and still Constanta is suffocating,' Gheorghe, who has decades of experience in trading and has advised the Romanian farm ministry, told Reuters. As a result, the port could be overwhelmed, even if Black Sea grain initiative is extended, according to Cezar Gheorghe of Romanian grain market consultancy AGRIColumn.

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