Ukrainian agricultural cargo flows increasingly shifted towards the Danube route in September. Between September 1 and 24, the volume of agricultural products directed for export towards the Danube ports, including Orlivka, reached 917,700 tonnes. This was already 22.9% higher than the total volume recorded for the whole of August. During the latest seven-day period alone, another 319,300 tonnes were added, averaging 45,600 tonnes per day.
The increase comes amid significant changes in Ukraine’s export logistics. In August, rail deliveries of grain to the Greater Odesa ports fell by almost 95% compared with July, to 68,500 tonnes. At the same time, shipments towards the Danube ports almost tripled to 248,800 tonnes, indicating a substantial redistribution of cargo flows towards alternative export routes.
However, rail deliveries of grain directly towards port destinations remained relatively weak in September. During the first 22 days, approximately 155,500 tonnes were transported, down 29.7% month-on-month. Export rail deliveries to Izmail decreased by 15.1% to 42,600 tonnes, while domestic deliveries fell by 47.1% to 55,500 tonnes. Only 25,600 tonnes of grain moved through the Greater Odesa port railway stations, 53% less than in the previous month.
The figures indicate that the Danube is once again strengthening its role as a backup export route for Ukraine’s agricultural sector. At the same time, the country’s overall grain exports remain below last year’s level. As of September 28, Ukraine had exported 5.016 million tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of the 2026/27 marketing year, down 23.4% year-on-year. Therefore, the increase in Danube traffic currently reflects a redistribution of logistics flows rather than an overall increase in Ukraine’s grain exports.