Ukraine increased its trade in agricultural products with the EU by 11%
From January through June 2026, the value of agricultural trade between Ukraine and the EU increased by 11%—to $8.55 billion. Ukrainian exports grew faster than imports, resulting in a positive agricultural trade balance for Ukraine of $3.47 billion.
At the end of the first half of the year, total trade volume reached $8.55 billion, which is $847 million, or 11%, more than in the same period last year.
This positive trend was driven primarily by higher volumes of Ukrainian exports, which helped the country’s agricultural trade surplus rise to $3.47 billion. Poland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and France remain Ukraine’s main trading partners among EU countries, accounting for about 70% of total agri-food trade.
At the same time, Ukrainian exporters have already fully utilized the annual duty-free quota for wheat and have largely exhausted the quotas for apple juice (91%), poultry meat (75%), eggs (75%), ethanol (64%), honey (61%), and sugar and sweet corn (59%).
Logistical challenges continue to have a significant impact on the structure and geography of trade. Due to difficulties with direct exports via its own maritime infrastructure, the Ukrainian agricultural sector has been forced to systematically restructure its logistics chains and increase the use of European transit routes to access global markets.
“The increase in exports (+$624 million) exceeded the increase in imports (+$221 million). The practical impossibility of exporting via its own maritime routes is prompting domestic agribusinesses to make more active use of European transit routes,” explained the Institute of Agrarian Economics.
This was reported by the National Scientific Center “Institute of Agricultural Economics.”
The All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council (VAR) appealed to Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, urging him to take immediate measures to resolve the issue of blocked seaports. The association warns that a further deterioration of the situation could lead to mass bankruptcies of agricultural enterprises and a large-scale crisis in one of the key sectors of the Ukrainian economy.
As a reminder, the first civilian air defense units have begun operations at Ukrainian seaports and railway infrastructure facilities.
