At the end of 2025, Ukraine confirmed its status as the world’s largest exporter of frozen raspberries, and in the 2026 season, the key vector for the development of the fruit and vegetable sector against the backdrop of stagnant domestic consumption will remain the expansion of exports, said Taras Bashtannik, president of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFOA).
“We have been the world’s largest raspberry exporter for two years in a row. According to the results of the 2025 season, exports are expected to reach about 80,000 tons, compared to 65,000 tons a year earlier. The potential for growth remains,” he said during the conference “Profitable Agribusiness 2026.”
According to the expert, a similar trend is observed in the blueberry segment, where production is growing by 15-20% annually. Bashtannik emphasized that the domestic blueberry market has reached a consumption “ceiling” of about 10,000 tons, so further development of the industry is only possible through exports. Currently, Ukraine exports about 8-10 thousand tons of this berry, while world leaders such as Chile and Peru supply up to 400 thousand tons to foreign markets, which indicates significant room for replacement of players in the global market.
Detailing the forecasts for the 2026 season, the president of the UPOA stressed that cheap vegetables and fruits should not be expected. He expressed confidence that the world has entered a phase where the opportunities for low-cost production have been exhausted, and Ukraine remains competitive only because of its lower costs compared to EU countries.
The high profitability of certain crops in previous years (sometimes up to 700% above cost—IF-U) is prompting farmers to rapidly expand their acreage without proper analysis. Bashkanik recalled that this has already led to a “slump” in prices for borscht vegetables in 2025. However, in the new season, the risk of overproduction of carrots or beets will remain and will depend on the timing of spring sowing.
According to the expert, the key obstacle to the development of the fruit and vegetable sector will be the shortage of skilled and unskilled workers. As a result, the industry will face the need for either total mechanization or even the involvement of foreign labor.
Bashkanik predicts that fruit and vegetable producers will traditionally experience problems in the 2026 season due to extreme weather conditions, ranging from drought to abnormal rainfall. This will require farmers to increase their investments in irrigation and protection systems.
Given the high cost and long logistics, particularly to Middle Eastern markets, the success of the season will depend not on the volume of the harvest, but on the ability to sell it to foreign markets.
“The issue of overproduction is not about how much we harvested, but whether we were able to sell it. If we work well for export, everything will be fine. Ukraine has an advantage in the diversity of its soil and climate zones, and if you choose the right varieties, you can invest in any crop — from pears to Jerusalem artichokes,” summarized the president of the UPA.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video dedicated to global raspberry production https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IHaYTp6IbCM
As part of preparations for the next, 20th package of sanctions against Russia, the European Commission has proposed a complete ban on cryptocurrency transactions related to Russia in order to block channels for circumventing restrictions through digital assets, the Financial Times reported, citing an internal European Commission document.
According to the publication, the idea is to move from targeted measures against individual Russian crypto platforms to a broader approach—banning interaction with crypto services linked to Russia. The document also mentions initiatives to restrict transactions related to the digital ruble and measures against certain payment instruments that, according to Brussels, could be used to circumvent sanctions.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, presenting the parameters of the new package, announced her intention to tighten restrictions in the financial sector and take measures against cryptocurrencies and platforms that could be used to circumvent the sanctions regime. Reuters also reported that the package includes additional measures against crypto companies that help Russia circumvent restrictions.
The European Commission’s proposals must be unanimously agreed upon by EU member states. EU countries planned to begin discussing the new sanctions package in the coming days, with a target date of February 23.
Imports of electric telephone or telegraph apparatus and videophones (HS 8517) to Ukraine in January 2026 increased by 49.2% compared to the same month in 2025, reaching $177.8 million, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to statistics, the largest volume of these products was imported from China (58.1%, or $103.3 million), they were also imported from the UK (9.2%, $16.3 million) and the US (8.8%, $15.6 million), while last year it was China ($65 million), Vietnam ($21 million), and Taiwan ($13.6 million).
At the same time, exports of these products from Ukraine in January amounted to $10.4 million (in January 2025 – $10.5 million). Supplies were mainly to Hungary (65%), Poland (22%), and Taiwan (6.8%). In the same month last year, products were exported mainly to Hungary (67%), Poland (27%), and Spain (2.9%).
According to the State Customs Service, in 2025, telephone or telegraph apparatus and videophones worth almost $1.634 billion were imported into Ukraine, which is 29.5% more than in 2024, including $907.9 million from China.
In January 2026, Ukraine reduced imports of zinc and zinc products by 26.3% to $1.986 million (in December — $4.392 million).
Zinc exports last month reached $81,000 (in December — $68,000), while in January 2025 they were $137,000.
In 2025, imports of zinc and zinc products decreased by 9.6% to $52.982 million.
Zinc exports last year reached $1.234 million, while in 2024 they amounted to $563,000.
In 2024, Ukraine increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 27.5% to $58.610 million.
Zinc exports in 2024 amounted to $563,000, while in 2023 they amounted to $130,000.
In 2023, the country increased imports of zinc and zinc products to $45.966 million (+18.8%).
Zinc exports in 2023 amounted to $130 thousand, compared to $1.331 million in 2022.
Pure zinc metal is used to recover precious metals, protect steel from corrosion, and for other purposes.
According to Fixygen, Ukrainian Energy Saving Service Company JSC (UkrESKO JSC, Kyiv) will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on February 20, 2026, in a remote format (poll), according to a report in the SMIDA information disclosure system.
According to the document, the date for compiling the list of shareholders eligible to participate is set for February 17, 2026 (as of 23:00). Ballot voting will take place from 11:00 on February 10 to 18:00 on February 20.
The agenda includes issues related to changes to the company’s information in the Unified State Register, including adjustments to shareholder data, the exclusion of Vasyl Bohatyr from the list of signatories, and the exclusion of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine as the body managing the state’s corporate rights, since, as stated in the draft decision, the state does not own any shares in the company. It is also planned to consider compensation to JSC Ukrainian Distribution Networks for the costs of organizing and holding the meeting.
The announcement states that the initiator of the meeting is JSC Ukrainian Distribution Networks, which owns 4,378 voting ordinary registered shares of JSC UkrESKO, or 99.65% of their total number.
JSC Ukrainian Energy Saving Service Company (EDRPOU 20077482) was registered on April 23, 1998. Its authorized capital is UAH 43.93 million, and its director is Dmytro Spivak. According to OpenDataBot, its main activity is research and experimental development in other natural and technical sciences.
The volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in January 2026 amounted to $33.3 million, which is 24.2% less than in the same month of 2025 ($43.9 million), according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to the published statistics, tractor imports decreased by 2.5 times compared to December last year.
Last month, tractors were imported mainly from China (31.2% of total imports of this equipment, or $10.4 million), the United States (13.3%, or $4.4 million), and Germany (11.8%, or $3.9 million), while last year China was also the leader ($9.34 million), Germany was second ($5.5 million), and the United States was third ($3.7 million).
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, last month $0.4 million worth of tractors were exported, mainly to Belgium (31.8%), while last year exports amounted to $0.56 million, with most supplies going to Zambia (41.4%).
As reported, the volume of tractor imports to Ukraine in 2025 reached $845.7 million, exceeding the 2024 figure by 7.9%. The main suppliers were the United States ($179.7 million), Germany ($145 million), and China ($142.8 million). Exports amounted to $6.6 million, compared to $5.4 million in 2024, and were mainly to Romania, Belgium, and Germany.
