KYIV, UKRAINE — Nearly 5 million tonnes of agricultural products have been shipped from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since the United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal on July 22, allowing grain shipments to restart following a five-month Russian blockade, Reuters reported.

As of Sept. 24, a total of 211 ships carrying agricultural products had embarked from Ukraine’s southern ports, according to Reuters. Another eight ships carrying 131,300 tonnes of agricultural products were scheduled to leave the ports on Sept. 25.

During the period of the blockade, grain and food prices soared worldwide as Ukraine, one of the world’s top wheat and corn producers and exporters, was unable to make shipments by sea. 

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukraine exported up to 6 million tonnes of grain per month.