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Ukraine exports 370K tonnes of grain in first week under Türkiye deal

Twelve vessels carrying more than 370,000 metric tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been authorised to leave Ukrainian ports, while several more grain vessels in Turkish waters await contracts.

Ukraine's grain had been stuck for months because of the ongoing conflict with Russia, now in its sixth month. (Reuters Archive)

Ukraine has exported nearly 400,000 tonnes of grain in the first week following the announcement of a deal brokered by Türkiye to address global food insecurity.

Twelve vessels carrying more than 370,000 metric tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been authorised to leave Ukrainian ports, the interim Coordinator for the UN at the Joint Coordination Centre, Frederick Kenney, said.

"We have seen tremendous interest from ship owners in terms of their willingness to make this transit," Kenney told reporters in New York on Wednesday.

"We're expecting to see a big uptick in applications."

Several empty grain vessels are sitting in Turkish waters waiting to arrange contracts. Once their deals are arranged, they will be transiting northbound, he added.

The vessels departing Ukrainian ports were loaded with corn and other foodstuffs and the first Ukrainian wheat shipment is expected next week.

"We actually have cleared the first ship inbound that's going to be picking up the wheat according to our records and that should occur sometime next week," said Kenney.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on July 22 to reopen three Ukrainian ports — Odessa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny — for grain that had been stuck for months because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its sixth month.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_l2o-ZVIo[/embed]

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/ukraine-exports-370k-tonnes-of-grain-in-first-week-under-turkiye-deal/?feed_id=9390&_unique_id=62f4b5826fcb5

Tonnes of South African fruit stranded at European ports

The EU introduced new plant and health safety requirements as ships were already at sea carrying hundreds of containers full of fruit to Europe, resulting in them being held up on arrival.

Europe is the largest market for South Africa's almost $2 billion citrus industry, accounting for 37 percent of all exports, according to the CGA. (AFP Archive)

Millions of boxes of oranges have been spoiling in containers stranded at European ports as South Africa and the European Union lock horns in a dispute over import rules.

South Africa, the world's second largest exporter of fresh citrus after Spain, filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) last month after the EU introduced new plant and health safety requirements that orange farmers say threaten their survival.

The measures came into force in July as ships were already at sea carrying hundreds of containers full of South African fruit to Europe, resulting in them being held up on arrival, South Africa's Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) says.

The EU rules aim at tackling the potential spread of an insect called the false codling moth, a pest native to sub-Saharan Africa that feeds on fruits including oranges and grapefruits.

The new measures require South African farmers to apply extreme cold treatment to all Europe-bound oranges and keep the fruits at temperatures of two degrees Celsius (35 degrees Fahrenheit) or lower for 25 days.

But the CGA says this measure is unnecessary as the country already has its own, more targeted way of preventing infestation.

'Discriminatory' measure

In its WTO complaint, South Africa argued that the EU requirements were "not based on science", more restrictive than necessary and "discriminatory".

South African citrus growers say the requirement puts undue extra pressure on an industry already in dire straits.

"This is going to add a lot of costs... and at the moment, that is what no grower in the world can afford," said Hannes de Waal, who heads of the almost 100-year-old farm Sundays River Citrus.

De Waal, whose company has orange, clementine and lemon trees straddling 7,000 hectares near the southeastern coast city of Gqeberha, said revenues were already squeezed by high shipping and fertiliser costs.

Freight costs have rocketed since Covid-19 struck, and so has the price of fertilisers due to the Ukraine conflict — Russia being one of the world's largest producers.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZJNXHBLvDE[/embed]

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/tonnes-of-south-african-fruit-stranded-at-european-ports/?feed_id=7745&_unique_id=62ef90cd4a633

Mexico seizes 1.6 tonnes of cocaine in capital

Fast News

Mexican authorities found the drugs concealed in two trailers on a highway on the edge of the city believing it was coming from Colombia.

The operation was the second major one targeting drug cartels in Mexico City in July. (Reuters)

Mexico City authorities said they have seized 1.6 tonnes of cocaine believed to be from Colombia, describing it as the largest such discovery in the capital.

Police found the drugs in hidden compartments in two trailers on a highway on the edge of the city, the capital's security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said.

It was "the largest seizure of cocaine in Mexico City by far," he told reporters.

According to initial investigations, the shipment arrived by sea from Colombia to Mexico's Pacific port of Puerto Escondido.

Some of the cocaine was believed to be destined for distribution in the capital and some of it in the United States, Garcia Harfuch said.

Four suspected gang members from northwestern Mexico were arrested, he added.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZFt_LI9Unc[/embed]

Tackling drug cartels

It is the second major operation targeting drug cartels in Mexico City in July.

Two weeks ago, police arrested 14 suspects and seized weapons and drugs in the south of the capital.

Most of those detained are being held on suspicion of belonging to the infamous Sinaloa cartel.

Source: AFP

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/mexico-seizes-1-6-tonnes-of-cocaine-in-capital/?feed_id=2590&_unique_id=62e088e21a57b