Ukrainian grain exports are returning to the levels they were at before the Russian invasion, according to United States officials.

A senior US state official said that: "Thanks to intensive international cooperation, Ukraine is on track to export as much as four million metric tons of agricultural products in August."

Through collaboration with Europe, Ukraine is exporting 2.5 to 3 millions tons of grain every month by river, rail and road routes. The exports are both for the EU and beyond to international markets.

Meanwhile, the much lauded export shipping agreement between Ukraine and Russia through the mediation of Turkey and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has moved over 720,000 tons of grain out of the country since the start of August.

Read more: Ukraine 'grain deals' and UK 'trade deals'

So far there have been 33 ships set sail from the Ukrainian ports Chornomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny, mainly headed to the Middle East and Africa. They were initially carrying maize for animal feed but more recent shipments have been of sunflower products and wheat.

Easier exports from Russia have also been called for by Mr Guterres, who appealed for 'unimpeded access', saying that the world could face dangerous agricultural shortfalls next year unless Russian fertilizer reaches international markets. The US retorted that despite its sweeping sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, it has so far exempted agricultural products, and accused Moscow of seeking to distract the world from its own responsibility for shortages.

Last week the United States said it was contributing another $68 million to the World Food Programme to buy 150,000 metric tons of Ukrainian wheat to address food insecurity. The UN warned last week that 22 million people face starvation in the Horn of Africa if cheaper food did not become available.