Ukraine Grain deal deadline looms as the Grain ship departs

One of the last ships carrying grain from Ukraine left its port on Wednesday under a wartime agreement for the safe passage of agricultural exports. The agreement, known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, was struck in July last year and was renewed in March this year for 60 days. The deal is up for renewal once again on May 18, and has allowed some 30.3 million tons of grains to depart Ukraine’s ports. Ukraine and Russia are both major suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products for the Asian and African countries. The two countries at war signed the agreement with the UN and Turkey last year, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine put a pause to shipments in the months following February 2022. Is the deal likely to be renewed considering the escalation in the war in Ukraine ?