Ukraine exported 15.5 million tons of agricultural products worth $6.3 billion in January–March.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, agricultural goods accounted for 62% of the country’s total exports, underscoring the sector’s key role in generating foreign currency revenues.
The main trend of the quarter was an increase in export value despite nearly unchanged physical volumes. Year-on-year, shipment volumes rose by just 1.2%, while export revenues increased by 8.3%, or $482 million. This growth was not driven by global price trends — the FAO Food Price Index rose by only 1% — but rather by domestic structural changes, particularly a higher share of value-added products.
“We are seeing a clear trend: Ukraine is gradually moving away from a raw commodity export model and increasing shipments of processed goods. This allows for higher export revenues even with stable volumes,” said Deputy Minister Taras Vysotskyi.
Export geography remains stable: EU countries accounted for 49% of shipments, the MENA region for 20%, Turkey for 12%, and other countries for 18%. At the same time, Turkey significantly strengthened its position, with its share rising from 9% to 12% and export value increasing by $242 million.
The export structure remains concentrated: the top five product categories generated 68% of revenues, while the top ten accounted for 81%. Corn, sunflower oil, and wheat remained the leading commodities. Corn exports increased both in volume (+18%) and value (+17%), largely driven by strong demand from Turkey, while sunflower oil export revenues rose by 20% with only a modest 3% increase in volumes.
Meanwhile, wheat exports declined by 35%, mainly due to a record harvest in the EU. However, shipments recovered during the quarter, rising from 536,000 tons in January to 869,000 tons in March (+62%), creating conditions for full utilization of the EU quota in 2026.
The ministry also highlighted a structural shift in oilseed exports. Due to policies encouraging domestic processing, exports of raw materials are declining while shipments of processed products are increasing. In particular, in the soybean segment, processed products such as meal and oil saw smaller declines than raw beans. In the rapeseed segment, the shift is even more pronounced, with rapeseed oil exports increasing more than 30-fold compared to the same period last year.
Overall, the results of the first quarter of 2026 indicate qualitative changes in Ukraine’s agricultural exports, with a gradual transition from raw commodities to higher value-added products. The government will continue working to expand trade opportunities and support the processing sector, which is seen as a key driver of sustainable economic growth.
