UN: Ukraine shipments vital to world food supplies

The United Nations says the movement of ships in and out of Ukrainian ports is an important step in freeing up desperately needed food supplies."It's very important that these ships be able to leave regardless of where their destination is, because the fact that they're moving brings down the price of food globally," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.

One of the ships that left Ukraine on Friday under a deal to unblock grain supplies and stave off a global food crisis arrived in Turkey, the first loaded vessel to reach its destination. Twelve ships have now been authorized to sail under the grain deal between Ukraine and Russia, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. Some 322,000 metric tons of agricultural products have left Ukrainian ports, the bulk of it corn but also sunflower oil and soy.Four ships that left Ukraine on Sunday were expected to anchor near Istanbul on Monday evening for inspection to make sure they are carrying only food.