The statement of the UN Coordinator reported that the 22 July agreement allows for the export of Russian fertilizer, including ammonia, but none has been shipped under the Initiative. Since 29 April, no vessel has been allowed to move to the port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi, one of the three ports included in the Initiative.
Low and low-middle-income countries have received only 10% of corn and 40% of wheat under the initiative, with high and upper-middle-income countries importing 90% of corn and 60% of wheat, the UN coordinator added.
The Joint Coordination Centre, which is charged with implementing the grain deal, has got 29 applications on exports from vessels in Turkish waters, but none of these applications have been approved by all parties to the deal, the statement also said, adding that no new ships have been authorized to participate since June 27.
Not a single vessel with Russian fertilizers has been sent for the entire duration of the Black Sea initiative, the UN Coordination Center said on Saturday.
The Centre noted that the export of fertilizers depends on the situation with the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline, which was blown up on June 5, "at the moment its status is unknown."
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation earlier stated that a Ukrainian sabotage group had blown up the Tolyatti – Odessa ammonia pipeline in the Kharkov region. The press service of PJSC Transammiak, which is the operator of the Russian section of the ammonia pipeline, told Sputnik that the Russian section has been cut off from the Ukrainian part and is in good condition under constant control.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday that commitments to remove obstacles to the export of Russian food and fertilizers have not been fulfilled, according to the Kremlin website.
The Black Sea Initiative, which was signed by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN on July 22, 2022, involves the export of Ukrainian grain and food, as well as fertilizers through the Black Sea from three ports, including Odessa. The Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul is responsible for coordinating the movement of ships. Putin pointed out that the West exports most of the Ukrainian grain to its states, and not to the needy countries of Africa.
The grain initiative is an integral part of the package agreement. The second part, the Russia-UN memorandum, designed for three years, provides for the unblocking of Russian exports of food and fertilizers, among the main tasks were the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery, spare parts and maintenance, the restoration of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and a number of other measures. As noted in Moscow, this part of the package agreement is still not implemented.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said on June 21 that there are no prerequisites for extending the grain deal, since obligations towards Russia are not fulfilled. The grain deal expires on July 17.