Ukraine has exported almost 2.4 million metric tons of grain so far this month, slightly lower than the 2.7 million tons exported over the same period in 2023, agriculture ministry data showed on Wednesday.

The ministry gave no explanation for the decrease.

Ukraine's grain exports in the 2023/24 July-June marketing season have so far fallen to about 26.3 million tons from 29.7 million in the same year-ago period, the data showed.

Exports have included 10.1 million tons of wheat, 14.4 million tons of corn and 1.5 million tons of barley.

Ukraine has traditionally shipped most of its exports through its deep water Black Sea ports.

The Ukrainian government expects a harvest of 81.3 million tons of grain and oilseeds in 2023, with a 2023/24 exportable surplus of about 50 million tons. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Miral Fahmy)