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CHS CEO says Ukraine grain export outlook not improving
The head of an international grain merchandiser suggests the outlook for exporting grain out of Ukraine is not improving.
Jay Debertin is CEO of the nation’s largest ag cooperative, CHS.
“Conditions to export products are really operating at a trickle. We and other grain companies are trying to get out of the country what we can via rail, but the country of Ukraine was really set up to be an export market via ship.”
He tells Brownfield the rail system was designed to move grain from farms to the ports.
“So really not set up to do it this way of any size and quantity via rail outside the country, but we’re all doing it (and) doing what we can by getting out everything we can. But unfortunately conditions are really no better, ports are still closed (and) ships are not operating.”
Debertin says Ukraine lacks sufficient on-farm storage, so if the country produces a lot of grain this year, he’s unsure what the country will do if ports remain closed.
