The Zelenodolska branch of the Nibulon agricultural company will probably not be able to resume operation in the new season. The reservoir has become shallow following the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant’s dam, making it impossible to transport grain on water. In addition, Russian projectiles damaged a grain elevator.
The Zelenodolska branch’s acting director Oleksii Mudrak announced this in a statement, the CFTS portal reports, citing the Latifundist publication.
"Perhaps we will operate as a transshipment base or not operate at all. I cannot say anything now. It is difficult to predict what this season will be like," he said.
The Zelenodolska branch stopped accepting grain on 24 February 2022. It saved the grain by transporting it out in trucks. It finished transporting the grain only 1.5 months ago.
"Before the invasion, we used to handle about 200,000 tons of grain per season. This is three elevator volumes, and we loaded everything with barges. 86 people were working here. Now, there are fewer than 40. Six were mobilized and the rest quit. We are not making any profit now. The management seems to have no plans to liquidate us, but it is unclear how we will resume operations. But we would like to because most of our employees are from nearby villages. This terminal employed them," he said.
As reported earlier, the company's river transshipment terminal for grain, legumes, and oilseeds in Marianske (Dnipropetrovsk region) was opened in June 2020.
The construction of the river transshipment terminal was supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank. The total investment was over USD 22 million.
