Grain deliveries by rail to Ukraine's Odesa region have increased significantly since the launch of the new Black Sea export corridor, Reuters reported, citing Valery Tkachev, deputy director of the commercial department of Ukrainian Railways.

According to his information, in the last week the number of wagons with grain to Odessa ports increased by more than 50%, reaching 4,032 tons compared to the previous 2,676 tons.

In August, Ukraine tried to secure an alternative route for ships bound for African and Asian markets in a bid to bypass the Black Sea blockade after Russia left the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which had guaranteed supplies amid war between the countries.

It was later announced that the route, which runs along Ukraine's southwestern Black Sea coast to Romanian territorial waters and onward to Turkey, would also be used to transport grain.

More than 700,000 tonnes of grain have left Ukrainian ports on the new route since August. Ukraine was shipping up to six million tonnes of grain per month from its Black Sea ports before the events of February 2022.

Ukraine's first deputy agriculture minister said last week that grain deliveries through the new corridor could exceed 1 million tons in October. However, ministry data as of October 30 showed that total grain exports fell by about 50% in October due to logistical difficulties.

Across the border, shipments to the Russian Railways network fell 3.4 percent year-on-year to 103.3 million tons in October 2023, the holding's official website said.

However, positive dynamics were observed in grain for the first ten months of this year, with 26.4 million tons transported, which is a growth of 41.2% on an annual basis.

According to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the duty on wheat exports will be reduced to 4,923.4 rubles ($52.7) per ton from November 1 to 8, 2023, from the current rate of 5,297.7 rubles ($56.56 ) per ton.

The export duty on barley will be zero for a second straight week, while the duty on maize will be cut to 1,618 rubles ($17.23) per tonne from 3,271.8 rubles ($34.85) per tonne, the ministry said.

The export duty rate for wheat was calculated at an indicative price of $253.2 per ton, for barley at $164.7 per ton, and for maize at $191.6 per ton.