Ukraine exported $41 billion worth of goods in 2024, up 13.4%, or $4.94 billion, compared to last year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko said.
“Of course, the result is primarily due to the normalization of the work of Ukraine’s seaports. We have exported 87.2 million tons by sea, and 54.8 million tons in 2023. In total, exports have already reached 129.2 million tons by weight, compared to 100.3 million tons in 2023. An increase of 28.8%,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Monday.
According to her, the transportation of goods has changed not only quantitatively but also qualitatively: Ukraine exported significantly less by road than last year – 7.6 million tons against 12 million tons last year.
She noted that the value of goods transported by road amounted to more than $14.5 billion, compared to $13.9 billion last year.
“This year was also memorable for the fact that we worked hard with our neighbors to remove unjustified blockades at the border. Thanks to a dialogue involving Polish and Ukrainian associations, we managed to ease the tension and return to a more familiar format of dialogue on trade development with neighboring countries and the EU as a whole,” the minister emphasized.
According to Svyrydenko, the development of trade with the EU is extremely important. First of all, despite all the difficulties on the land border with the EU, this year’s exports to the EU are already $1.2 billion more than in 2023 ($24.5 billion versus $23.3 billion in 2023), which is 59% of Ukrainian exports.
In addition, 49.8% of all imports to Ukraine are goods from the EU, and 73% of imports are brought to Ukraine by road, i.e. across the border with the EU.
The Ukraine Facility has already adopted a Border Infrastructure Development Strategy and a Transport Strategy.
“Thus, more than half of our trade is regulated by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Therefore, it is important for us to realize all the possibilities of the Agreement and to make it meet the realities of our time,” Svyrydenko explained.
She clarified that in November this year, Ukraine sent an official request to the EU to apply the internal market regime for roaming services under the Association Agreement.
“This means full legal integration into the EU’s internal market even before the opening of accession negotiations under the relevant section. By the way, only Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have achieved such a regime outside the EU, and Switzerland still cannot boast of progress in this regard. By the way, we have also updated the free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and next year our agricultural exporters will have better access to the markets of all four countries,” the First Deputy Prime Minister stated.
Svyrydenko explained that due to this, in the first months of next year, the Ministry of Economy will try to find a solution to access the EU market for sensitive agricultural products, of which there are seven: corn, cereals, bran, honey, sugar, eggs and poultry.
Outside of the EU, Ukraine’s key trading partners are China ($2.3 billion), Turkey ($2.1 billion), Egypt ($1.6 billion), India ($986 million), Moldova ($935 million), and the United States ($935 million).
Traditionally, corn ($4.9 billion), wheat ($3.68 billion), iron ore ($2.75 billion), and soybeans ($1.29 billion) are the top exports.
According to Svyrydenko, the largest export commodity was a processed product – sunflower oil – worth $5.073 billion.
The First Vice Prime Minister added that Ukraine also exported soybean oil for $311 million, rapeseed oil for $238 million, sunflower meal for $1.006 billion, and soybean meal for $311 million this year.
“In agricultural processing, we are also pleased with the performance of sugar producers – 724 thousand tons of exports worth $408 million and poultry producers – 440 thousand tons worth $945 million. This is despite the fact that the EU has imposed rather strict restrictions on the export of these products compared to last year. We are now global exporters of these products, and this is good news,” she stated.
Svyrydenko also summarized that metallurgical exports are reviving, as Ukraine exported $927.5 million worth of semi-finished iron products, $802 million worth of hot-rolled steel, $500 million worth of pig iron, and $577 million worth of pipes.
As of December 27, Ukraine exported 21.256 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of the 2024-2025 marketing year (July-2024 – June-2025), of which 2.882 mln tonnes have been shipped since the beginning of the current month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 17.484 million tons, including 4.387 million tons in December.
In particular, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 9.613 mln tonnes of wheat (7.255 mln tonnes in 2023/24 MY), 1.968 mln tonnes of barley (991 thsd tonnes), 10.8 thsd tonnes of rye (1 thsd tonnes), and 9.351 mln tonnes of corn (9.097 mln tonnes).
The total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of December 27 are estimated at 37 thsd tonnes (in 2023/24 MY – 57 thsd tonnes), including 33.9 thsd tonnes of wheat (54.2 thsd tonnes).
In January-November 2024, Ukraine increased imports of nickel and nickel products by 64.8% to $23.672 million. Nickel exports during this period amounted to only $585 thousand, which is 15% more than in the same period last year.
Nickel is used to make stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, in powder metallurgy and in chemicals.
Ukraine exported almost 1.7 million tons of corn as of December 23, and by the end of the month the total volume will exceed 2 million tons, despite problems with shipments at the beginning of the month that slowed down the pace of exports, according to the analytical cooperative “Start”, created within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council.
According to analysts on the UAC’s Facebook page on Thursday, corn prices are stable at $205-207 per ton on a CPT basis. They predict that corn has the potential to reach $210-215/ton in January. The key factor that may affect further price growth is weather conditions in Brazil and Argentina.
“The corn market is in a kind of “golden period”. In January, any importer who wants to receive supplies has to turn to Ukraine, as the US corn is already sold out. This creates conditions for sellers to dictate the price. However, it is important to remember that in February-March we may face competitive pressure on the European market due to cheaper U.S. corn,” the experts said.
They pointed out that Ukrainian corn remains the main player on the European market, while the US actively exports to Latin America and Mexico. However, the price difference between Ukrainian and American corn on the European market is about $10 in favor of American products.
According to forecasts, in January the market will be sensitive to news about the sowing campaign of the second harvest in Brazil and the condition of crops in Argentina, where there are already problems with moisture.
“Over the past 10 years, only twice the corn market has been stable in January and February without significant price fluctuations. Therefore, the probability of getting higher prices during this period is quite high. But in April-May, corn may become a scarce commodity, which will again create preconditions for price growth,” Pusk summarized.
In January-November 2024, Ukraine increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 22.29% to $409.063 million, while exports increased by 30% to $115.982 million.
In November, aluminum imports amounted to $32.794 million, while exports amounted to $10.423 million.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 7.7% to $366.463 million.
In 2023, exports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 0.7% compared to 2022, to $97.616 million.
Aluminum is widely used as a structural material. The main advantages of aluminum are its lightness, stamping resistance, corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and non-toxicity of its compounds. In particular, these properties have made aluminum extremely popular in the production of cookware, aluminum foil in the food industry, and packaging. The first three properties have made aluminum the main raw material in the aviation and aerospace industries (recently it has been replaced by composite materials, primarily carbon fiber). After the construction and production of packaging, such as aluminum cans and foil, the energy sector is the largest consumer of the metal.
In January-November this year, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 6.1% year-on-year to $127.286 million.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine on Monday, exports of copper and copper products increased by 24.5% to $81.110 million over the period under review.
In November, Ukraine imported copper worth $11.033 million and exported it worth $8.129 million.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of copper and copper products by 2.2 times compared to 2022 – up to $140.795 million, while exports decreased by 20.1% to $72.078 million.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloys, medicine and other industries.
