Sunflower oil exports from Ukraine through ports have almost stopped after a series of attacks

After a series of Russian missile strikes, Ukraine’s oil infrastructure has suffered serious damage. In December, the Allseeds port tanks in Pivdenny and the Kernel oil refinery in the port of Chornomorsk were destroyed. On January 5, Russian troops attacked the Bunge oil refinery in the Dnieper, known as the producer of Oleyna oil, and on January 7, another attack hit facilities in Pivdenny and Chornomorsk.

Despite market expectations of a sharp increase in prices due to the knocked-out capacities, sunflower oil even fell slightly in price in the first decade of January, according to the Ministry of Finance. LIGA.net explains such a strange market reaction by a number of factors, the main of which is the almost complete cessation of exports through seaports.

Tank trucks remain an alternative, but their capacities and transportation costs are significantly inferior to sea transportation. Thus, in the first decade of January 2026, only 1,350 tons of oil were exported by road, while the average ship can transport 12–15 thousand tons.

The destruction of ports has resulted in a reduction in foreign exchange earnings. Edible oil and meal provide up to 15% of total foreign exchange earnings from trade, notes Stepan Kapshuk, General Director of the Ukroliyaprom Association. This creates additional exchange rate risks for the hryvnia due to a deterioration in the trade balance.

In the agricultural sector, the consequences are also tangible: the lack of oil sales may lead to a reduction in the purchase of sunflower, rapeseed and soybean seeds by processors. In this case, Ukrainian farmers will have to look for alternatives for spring sowing, which calls into question the planning of the harvest and the profitability of the industry.

Tags: Ukraine, sunflower oil, export, restrictions, war