Ukraine’s grain exports have risen to 85,940,000t for the market year dating from September 2023 to September 2024, according to a report published today (September 13) from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
This indicates a 60% increase on the 53,700,000t of grain for cereals and legumes, including by-products exported from Ukraine during the previous market year.
The data originates from Ukraine’s State Customs Service.
Grain exports
Exports of wheat grew by 87% from 25,020,000t in the previous market year to 46,780,000t this current market year.
Barley exports grew by 115% from 54,200,000t in 2023 to 11,650,000t in 2024.
Corn exports grew by 8% from 23,110,000t in 2023/2024 to 24,980,000t in 2024/2025.
In contrast, total flour exports fell by 51%, from 29,200,000t in 2023/2024 to 14,000,000t in 2024/2025.
Commenting on these grain export figures, executive director for the Seed Association of Ukraine, Siuzana Grygorenko, said:
“At a time when food security is a global concern, Ukraine has established itself as a key supplier of grain to Europe. Even though Ukraine has been suffering a full-scale war for almost three years, local agricultural companies have proven to be trustworthy partners.
“In addition to reliability, cooperation with Ukrainian grain importers allows European countries to avoid being dependent on a limited number of suppliers, making the food market more stable, flexible and competitive.
“The previous marketing year 2023/2024 was fairly successful for Ukraine in terms of grain exports. One of the major reasons was the high yield, both in terms of quantity and quality and obviously the commitment of the European consumers to cooperate with Ukrainian farmers and the established contracts contributed to this.
“Europe became the key importer at that period, with a share of 55%. Among the EU leading importers of Ukrainian grain are Spain, Romania, Italy, and the Netherlands,” Grygorenko explained.
Trade challenges
This statement also highlighted the challenges that faced the export trade during the period, including the blockade of the Polish border, which had previously been the main land route to Europe.
Consequently, most of the grain was exported via the Danube and Black Sea, which proved all the more perilous after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which had ensured the security and safety of Ukrainian vessels.
Since then, cargo ships have travelled from Ukrainian ports along a temporary export corridor, which hugs the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, two Nato member states, where waters are too shallow for Russian submarines to access.
Ukrainian grain exports are also being transported by land and barge via the EU’s newly created ‘solidarity lanes’.
In July 2024, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy in Ukraine and grain market stakeholders signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the 2024/2025 market year to safeguard food security, to stabilise the market and to aid in export forecasts and currency exchange.
These stakeholders included the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine; Ukrainian Grain Association; European Business Association; All-Ukrainian Agrarian Forum; Association of Farmers and Private Landowners of Ukraine; Ukrainian Millers; Association of Bakers; Ukrkhlibprom, and the All-Ukrainian Bakers Association.
An annex to the memorandum was added on September 3, 2024, which set the maximum export volume of wheat to 16,200,000t for the 2024/2025 market year to ensure domestic consumption needs are met.
