The volume of imports to Ukraine in January-September 2023 amounted to $46.6 billion, up 18.9% or $7.4 billion compared to the same period a year earlier, the State Customs Service reported on its website on Friday.
At the same time, the volume of Ukrainian exports decreased by 18.1% or $6 billion to $27.1 billion, according to the published information.
The negative balance for the first 9 months of this year amounted to $19.5 billion, which is 3.2 times more than in the same period last year.
According to the State Customs Service, exports of goods fell by 15% to $24.5 billion over the first eight months, while imports grew by 19% to $41.1 billion, and the negative balance of trade in goods almost tripled to $16.6 billion.
“At the same time, taxable imports amounted to $38.3 billion, which is 82% of the total volume of imported goods. The tax burden per 1 kg of taxable imports in January-September 2023 amounted to $0.48 per kg, which is 47% more than in the same period in 2022,” the agency said on Friday.
It is specified that most of the imported goods during the reporting period came to Ukraine from China – $7.4 billion ($5.8 billion for 9 months of 2022), Poland – $4.9 billion ($3.8 billion) and Turkey – $3.7 billion (last year the top three included Germany with $3.3 billion).
Most of Ukraine’s goods were exported to Poland – $3.7 billion ($5.1 billion), Romania – $3 billion ($2.6 billion), and Turkey – $1.9 billion ($2.2 billion).
According to the State Customs Service, in January-September 2023, 65% of total imports of goods were machinery, equipment and transport – $14.1 billion (UAH 100.6 billion, or 31% of customs revenues, was paid to the budget during customs clearance), chemical products – $8.4 billion (UAH 57.2 billion, or 17% of customs revenues) and fuel and energy products – $7.9 billion (UAH 68.0 billion, or 21% of customs revenues).
The top three most exported goods from Ukraine are food products – $16.1 billion, metals and metal products – $3 billion, and machinery, equipment and transport – $2.3 billion.
The agency added that UAH 472.9 million was paid to the budget during customs clearance of exports of goods subject to export duties.