Soybean crops in Ukraine will not increase significantly in 2026

The area under soybeans in Ukraine this year will remain at 2 million hectares, without significant growth. This opinion was expressed by Mykola Bykov, an agronomist-consultant of the Danube Soybean Association.

He noted that the soybean market in Ukraine has been growing for a long time due to favorable prices, the development of growing technologies and the opening of the European market, and the area under cultivation reached its maximum in 2024.

“However, many farmers without sufficient experience in growing soybeans received poor results and reduced plantings in 2025. Additionally, interest in the crop was negatively affected by the introduction of a 10% export duty on soybeans and rapeseed, which forced farmers to plan plantings for 2026 more carefully,” the specialist added.

Mykola Bykov emphasized that some farmers are abandoning soybeans in favor of other crops, but large farms with established production continue to grow it stably. Despite economic risks and rising costs, demand for soybeans remains strong.

“With the winter crop shift, farmers are choosing between corn, sunflowers and soybeans. Corn is less attractive due to its high costs, while soybeans benefit from lower fertilizer requirements and the ability to plant later,” he explained.

Tags: Ukraine, soybean, sown area