The U.S. Department of Transportation says there has been a sharp rise in grain exports through the St. Lawrence Seaway this year.

With an increase of nearly 23 percent through October over 2009 levels, nearly 1.9 million metric tons of U.S. grain have moved through the waterway this year. Overall, St. Lawrence Seaway traffic is up 17 percent in 2010 compared to 2009.

“Vessel traffic this fall is robust in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, as ships are busy carrying almost two million tons of U.S. wheat, corn and soybeans to export markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,” said Collister Johnson, Jr., administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

“We are encouraged by what we are seeing with heightened grain shipments through the Lakes and the Seaway and have every reason to believe that the remainder of the season will be just as strong.”

This increase is attributed in part to Russia’s stoppage of grain exports that began in August due to drought conditions there. Russia says it will keep the ban in place through the end of this year. As a result, markets in Europe and North Africa have looked to North American grain farmers to satisfy their demand for grain.

Furthermore, the U.S. has produced bumper grain crops this season that have been harvested earlier than in past years.