Ukraine exported 6.9 million tons of agricultural products in February 2023, up 14% from the previous month, the association Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) said on its Facebook page on Monday.
“This growth was tangible against the background of the fall in the indicator last month, and so – this is the average figure for the last six months. 49% of exports in February 2023 was realized through the work of the “grain corridor,” and the rest through alternative export routes. However, we must necessarily take into account that not all products had time to physically cross the border”, – clarifies the message of the Association.
UCAB notes that in February 2023 it exported 5.2 million tons of grain crops, which is 23% more than in January. By crops, 3.33 million tons of corn (64% of the total), 1.61 million tons of wheat (31%) and 21 thousand tons of barley (4%) were exported to foreign markets.
Ukraine also exported 557 thousand tons of oilseeds during this period – 30% less than in January. Abroad, 328.6 thousand tons of soybeans (59%), 167.1 thousand tons of sunflower seeds (30%) and 61.3 tons of rapeseed (11%).
UCAB also noted that exports of vegetable oils in February increased by 4% against the previous month – up to 435.7 thousand tons, 93% of which was sunflower oil (405.2 thousand tons) and 7% – soybean oil (26.1 thousand tons). In turn, exports of sunflower and soybean cake and meal decreased by 4% to 414.1 thousand tons, including 85% of sunflower waste (351.9 thousand tons) and 15% of soybean waste (62.1 thousand tons).
“February-2023 was the highest monthly export of grain crops since the beginning of the war – 5.2 million tons. Part of this growth was due to a decrease in oilseed crop exports. With the decline in oilseed exports due to the end of export stocks of rapeseed and the reorientation of sunflower seeds to the domestic market, it became possible to export more crops,” UCAB stressed in a report.
As previously reported UCAB, Ukraine exported 7 million tons of agricultural products in December 2022, in November – 7.2 million tons, in October and September – 6.9 million tons, in August – 4.6 million tons, in July – 3 million tons, in June – 2.7 million tons. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine, in May agricultural exports amounted to 1.74 million tons, in April – 0.96 million tons, in March – 0.33 million tons.
Prior to the full-scale military invasion by the Russian Federation, Ukraine used to export an average of 5-6 million tons of agricultural products per month, mainly through its maritime infrastructure in the Black Sea.
KSG Agro holding by the beginning of March 2023 intends to export to Asia and Africa 7 thousand tons of cereals, which will be shipped through the ports of Odessa and Odessa region in the “grain corridor”.
As reported in a press release from the group of companies in January-February 2023 at the ports of Odessa and Odessa region has already delivered more than half of the planned exports of agricultural products.
It is specified that the batch of crops consists of 4 thousand tons of wheat, 2 thousand tons of barley and 1 thousand tons of corn.
“Export of grain crops for us is not only a diversification of sales, but also a contribution to global food security. With the effective and safe operation of the “grain corridor” we are planning to continue exporting our products”, – the words of the head of the board of directors of the holding Sergey Kasyanov are given in the report.
Vertically integrated holding KSG Agro is engaged in pig breeding, as well as the production, storage, processing and sale of grain and oilseeds. Its land bank is about 21,000 hectares.
According to the agricultural holding, it is one of the top five pork producers in Ukraine.
KSG Agro in 2021 increased its net profit by 16 times compared to 2020 – up to $20.27 million, revenue – by 44% to $30.75 million, while increasing EBITDA by half – to $12.28 million.
The export of agro-processing products from Ukraine to Russia in 2022 decreased by 15.3 times in comparison with 2021 – down to $ 3 million from $ 46 million, while the supply of similar products to Belarus decreased by 7.5 times, to $ 69 million from $ 520 million.
According to the website of the Ukrainian Agrarian Export Association (UAAE), Ukrainian exporting companies are no longer planning to supply food products to the Belarusian and Russian markets, given the military aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the successful reorientation of its export to the European Union.
According to UAAE, in particular, the export of cocoa paste to Russia stopped in 2022, although in 2021, Russia was its largest buyer with the share of 60% of Ukrainian imports of these products and the volume of $20 million.
Ukraine also stopped supplying ice cream to Russia last year, although in 2021 it was the 3rd largest exporter of this Ukrainian product after Moldova and Israel. In 2022 Germany was added to its main markets instead.
Also in 2022, deliveries to Belarus, in particular the Ukrainian bakery confectionery decreased by 8.5 times – down to $ 2 million, whereas in 2021 it was the 3rd largest importer in this segment with an indicator of $ 17 million. Similarly, the supply of Ukrainian frozen beef – to $0.3 million in 2022 against $ 13 million a year earlier, and canned fruit products – by 6.7 times, to $1.5 million from $10 million.
According to the association, if in 2021, Belarus was the main importer of Ukrainian potatoes with the share of exports at 80% by $3 million, in 2022, it took the second place with 23% and $1 million respectively (a 3-fold decrease). Also, the supply of Ukrainian tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, where in 2021, Belarus was among the top destinations for the purchase of these commodities, has decreased significantly or ceased. In addition, last year the Republic of Belarus from the position of the leader of importers of cooked unfrozen vegetables from Ukraine, where it took first place in 2021, “displaced” Moldova, Georgia and Hungary.
“With actually unchanged rates of export of jams, jellies and marmalades in 2022, their main buyers were Poland, Moldova and the Czech Republic (in 2021 – Poland, Belarus, Israel),” the association stressed in the report.
UAEA specified that in the segment of frozen vegetables last year Ukraine generally increased the volume of exports, while its geographical structure changed compared to 2021: Germany moved up to the second position instead of Belarus, which was ousted from the top three, and Turkey took the honourable “bronze”. Poland remained the leader here, as it was the year before last.
“The reciprocal embargoes with Russia, imposed since 2016, significantly reduced mutual trade even earlier. In particular, exports of frozen beef, fresh and processed vegetables, and confectionery products to Belarus dropped significantly. Last year, supplies of cocoa paste and ice cream to the Russian market were also reduced to zero,” the organization summarized in its report.
Ukraine exported 5.5 million tons of grain, oilseeds and their products in January, which is 1.3 million tons less than in December, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy reported on Saturday.
“Such a downward dynamic is due to the artificial blocking of the “grain corridor” by Russian inspectors,” the ministry said.
It specified that the “grain initiative” shipped only 3 million tons in the first month of the year, while previously the export of agricultural products in the corridor was 4 million tons or more per month.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, corn exports fell by 700 thousand tons – to 2.6 million tons, wheat – by 250 thousand tons, to 1.3 million tons.
A total of 15.4 million tons of corn and 9.7 million tons of wheat were exported in the marketing season (July 2022 – January 2023), while 39.2 million tons of oilseeds, the ministry said.
It added that during 11 months of war 44.4 million tons of agricultural products were sent from Ukraine to other countries, including 9.9 million tons of wheat and 18.2 million tons of corn. Insignificant difference in the supply of these crops compared to the new marketing season is associated with the closure of Ukrainian ports, which did not function for five months, and in August they began to gradually increase the volume, said the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
According to his data, sunflower oil remained in the top three leading shipments in January with 347 tons, which is 121 thousand tons less than in December.
January shipments of soybeans declined slightly compared to December – to 345 tons from 387 tons, meal to 295 tons from 331 tons.
At the same time sunflower seed supply was reduced more than 1.6 times – to 190 thousand tons from 312 thousand tons more, and rapeseed – nearly 1.3 times: to 186 thousand tons from 237 thousand tons compared to 412 thousand tons in November.
As Ministry of Agricultural Policy noted, barley shipments remained almost unchanged in January: 168.7 tons against 179 tons in December. During the first month of 2023 soybean oil shipped by 6 thousand tons more – 26 thousand tons.
“The overall picture of January shipments as a percentage is as follows: corn – 47.36%, 24.23% – wheat, 6.33% – sunflower oil, soybeans – 6.29%, 5.38% – meal, sunflower seeds – 3.46%, canola – 3.39%, barley – 3.08%, soybean oil – 0.49%,” indicated the Ministry.
It added that the total volume of shipments for 11 months by crops: 18.2 million. MT – corn (40.88%), 9.9 million tons – wheat (22.25%), 3.6 million tons – sunflower oil (8.12%), 3.2 million tons – rape (7.21%), 2.9 million tons – sunflower seeds (6.49%), 2.5 million tons – meal (5.65%), 1.9 million tons – barley (4.21%), 2 million tons – soybeans (4.70%), 215 thousand tons – soybean oil (0.49%). tons – soybean oil (0.48%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2021/2022 MY exported 48.51 million tons of grain and leguminous crops, which is 8.4% higher than in the previous MY, despite the full-scale invasion of Russia and the difficulties with the export of agricultural products due to the blockade of Ukrainian seaports. 18.74 million tons of wheat (12.6% more than in 2020/2021MY), 23.54 million tons of corn (+1.9%), 5.75 million tons of barley (+35.9%), 70.9 thousand tons of flour (-44.1%) were supplied to foreign markets.
Ukraine in 2020/2021 MY exported 44.72 million tons of grain and leguminous crops: 16.64 million tons of wheat, 23.08 million tons of corn, 4.23 million tons of barley, 126.9 thousand tons of flour and 18.4 thousand tons of rye.
In 2019/2020, Ukraine exported a record 56.72 million tons of grain and leguminous crops.
On Friday 11 vessels with 313.5 thousand tons of agricultural products left the ports of “Big Odessa” after three days of bad weather, when there was no traffic of vessels, said the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
“At once three bulk carriers are heading to African countries: the Lady Litel with 31 thousand tons of wheat for Libya, the East Wind 1 with 25 thousand tons for Tunisia, and the Lady Hatice with 11 thousand tons of food for Morocco,” the ministry noted on Facebook.
It also reported that the bulk carrier Antheia, chartered by the UN World Food Programme to deliver Ukrainian wheat to Afghanistan, moored in the port of Chornomorsk.
The agency said that in the ports involved in the “grain initiative”, there are 17 ships under processing, they are loaded with more than 519 thousand tons of Ukrainian agricultural products, and another five ships are moving in the “grain corridor” for the loading.
The Ministry of Infrastructure noted that 104 vessels are waiting for the inspection of the Joint Coordinating Centre in the Bosphorus, while there were 98 on January 10 and 95 on December 26.
The agency stressed that for continuous movement in the grain corridor should be held at least 12 inspections per day.
In total, according to the department, since August 1, 644 ships that exported 17.3 million tons of food have left the ports of Greater Odessa.
Six ships with agricultural products left Ukrainian ports on Thursday, the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure said in its Telegram channel.
According to its data, six ships with 355 thousand tons of agricultural products on board have left the ports of Greater Odessa, 13 more ships (282 thousand tons of agricultural products) are being loaded.
In addition, the ports are preparing to receive six more ships, which follow the “grain corridor”.
“There are 102 vessels waiting for inspection by the Joint Coordination Center in the Bosporus. The Russian side continues to hinder inspections under any pretext, limiting the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to world markets,” the ministry states.
According to his data, since August 1, 2022, 626 ships have left the ports of Big Odessa, which exported 16.8 million tons of Ukrainian food to Asia, Europe and Africa.
