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As a result of grain production and distribution disruption caused by the war in Ukraine, locally produced grain shipped to international ports is easing those shortages and is more important than ever to both local and world economies, said William Scriber, executive director, Port of Oswego.
“Russia and Ukraine account for a large share of worldwide grain production,“ Scriber said. “The war has taken those countries out of the picture both from the effects of the war in Ukraine and countries declining to do further business with Russia.
“The Port of Oswego has stepped up as a major player in soybean and grain export on the Great Lakes. Our first export of the season, more than 18,000 metric tons of soybeans, is scheduled to depart March 31 aboard the Lake St. Clair. It’s the first grain export from any port on the Great Lakes this year and is bound for Brussels and Ireland. We have contracts for another six international grain shipments this year, and we expect to gain more because of the strain on the world’s supply chain and the availability of wheat and other grains.
“The recent opening of our NY State Grain Export Center and growing list of grain export contracts has solidified our position as a regional leader in this area.”
About 100 farmers from Oswego County and Central New York recently made the first deliveries to the Port export center. It’s part of a recent agreement the Port signed with The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE), Maumee, OH, to lease the Port’s 780,000-bushel grain storage facility and export the grain on vessels to Europe and Africa. “Oswego is home to the largest facility of its kind on Lake Ontario and the most technologically advanced handling system in New York State and on the Great Lakes and has an on-site USDA lab. This system can unload a truckload of grain (35,000 lbs.) in less than a minute, and it can load a railcar (100 tons of grain) in just eight minutes. This reduced unloading time allows farmers the ability to flow more grain into the facility.”
The Grain Export Center was funded by the New York State Department of Transportation through a $15 million grant. Construction of the facility has involved scores of local workers and tradespeople, Scriber said.
The Port of Oswego's strategic location at the crossroads of the Northeastern North American shipping market, puts them less than 350 miles from 60 million people. As one of the most productive ports in North America, the port supports 209 local jobs, $26.7 million in economic activity, and $13.8 million in personal income and local consumption expenditures, Scriber said.
For more information, visit www.portoswego.com
