Ukraine is a strategic partner of the EU and the world. While a significant part of the world’s land is becoming unsuitable for agriculture due to climate change and soil degradation, in Ukraine, with a total area of 60.35 million hectares, 42.73 million hectares or 70.8% of the territory is already used in agricultural production, according to SEEDS.
Dmytro Ustavytskyi, co-founder of the logistics company NIDERA AGRO, an expert in international logistics and innovative solutions, and industry leader of the NGO Svit.UA, writes about this in a blog on the Svit.UA website.
“Despite the realities of the war, grain exports from Ukraine are crucial for the food security of the world. This month, the EU is presenting the updated Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, which will be adopted in 2028. Currently, it is being discussed that trade preferences introduced in 2022 due to the war should be extended until 2027, as the war continues.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2024, exports of agricultural products brought in $24.6 billion, which is 59% of the country’s total exports. Ukrainian farmers managed to increase exports by 12.5% compared to 2023. Sales of grains (+1.1 billion USD) and oilseeds (+0.5 billion USD) increased the most,” says Dmytro Ustavytskyi.
In his opinion, logistics in the agricultural sector of Ukraine plays a crucial role in ensuring food security both domestically and in foreign markets.
“Logistics covers the entire supply chain – from the delivery of seeds, fertilizers and machinery to producers to the transportation of crops to storage, processing, domestic markets and export terminals. Efficient logistics helps to minimize crop losses, preserve its quality and ensure competitive prices,” adds the expert on international logistics and innovative solutions.
Challenges of war: infrastructure losses and risks
Russia’s full-scale invasion has shown the critical importance of stable logistics. The destruction of transport infrastructure, blocking of sea routes, destruction of elevators and mining of agricultural land have complicated agricultural processes. However, Ukraine was able to adapt by expanding export routes through the Danube ports and alternative land corridors to the EU.
Export potential: opportunities and constraints
The European Union remains Ukraine’s main trading partner. Ukrainian grain helps to reduce food inflation in the EU.
“However, neighboring countries view the Ukrainian agricultural sector not only as a partner but also as a competitor, which makes it difficult to enter new European markets. Therefore, the issue of extending trade benefits for exporters and solving the problems of blocking borders is a priority.
Ukraine has significant export potential because of its high quality products. For example, the President of the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) conducted an audit in the EU and received positive feedback on the quality of Ukrainian grain, which is recognized as one of the best in Europe,” recalls Dmytro Ustavytskyi.
How medium-sized farmers can enter EU markets
“Ukrainian farmers now have the opportunity to sell grain to the EU without customs barriers. For example, a farmer with 500 hectares of land can supply products directly to processors in Italy. And now Ukrainian grain can reach San Martino in Italy in just 2 weeks!
Currently, 90% of Ukrainian grain (wheat and corn) is supplied to Italy, gradually displacing Russian products from the local market. This demonstrates the effectiveness of Ukrainian logistics, which is gradually integrating into the European infrastructure,” emphasizes the co-founder of the logistics company NIDERA AGRO.
Development of logistics infrastructure: the key to competitiveness
According to the expert, his team has now built a complete logistics chain for farmers:
“Today, farmers have a choice – to sell grain on the domestic market or to export on more favorable terms. Transparency of prices on trading platforms allows us to plan sales more efficiently, which reduces logistics costs,” adds Dmytro Ustavytskyi.
Financial opportunities for exporters
According to the expert in international logistics and innovative solutions, farmers have already learned how to work with foreign exchange contracts, which simplifies export operations. Banks have simplified the mechanism for servicing foreign currency accounts, which helps to avoid exchange rate risks.
“However, exports require certification and professional support. We help small producers to go through this process without risks by providing solutions for exporting consignments of 1,800 tons or more. Quality assurance is a key factor in successful exports,” says Dmytro Ustavytskyi.
Trade strategies and training for farmers
One of the common mistakes, the expert believes, is selling grain immediately after harvest, when prices are lowest. In his opinion, it is more profitable to store products and analyze the market to sell at the most favorable time.
In addition, further improvement of agro-logistics is impossible without investment in:
“At NGO Svit.UA, we are raising these issues and will be organizing meetings with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to discuss the possibilities of state support for small and medium-sized farmers in entering international markets.
In times of war, export support for small and medium-sized farmers is becoming a strategically important area for food security and economic development.
Ukrainian producers remain important partners for the EU, so there must be a certain trade culture, because the main requirement of European buyers is honesty in terms of quality and quantity of products,” adds Dmytro Ustavytskyi.
In his opinion, Ukraine has unique opportunities to integrate into the European market even despite the challenges of war. Investments in logistics, digital solutions and international cooperation will help make this process efficient and profitable for Ukrainian farmers.
As of February 28, Ukraine exported 28.853 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2024/25 marketing year (MY, July 2024 – June 2025), of which 3.162 mln tonnes were shipped this month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the data of the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 29.136 mln tonnes, including 5.26 mln tonnes in February-2024.
At the same time, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 11.883 mln tonnes of wheat (11.449 mln tonnes in 2023/24 MY), 2.124 mln tonnes of barley (1.597 mln tonnes), 10.8 thsd tonnes of rye (1 thsd tonnes), and 14.405 mln tonnes of corn (15.671 mln tonnes).
The total export of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of February 24 is estimated at 46.4 thsd tonnes (in 2023/24 MY – 73 thsd tonnes), including wheat – 42.9 thsd tonnes (69.3 thsd tonnes).
Dnipro Metallurgical Plant (DMZ), a part of DCH Steel of businessman Aleksandr Yaroslavsky’s DCH Group, has resumed exports of European sections that had been suspended since the beginning of the war.
According to a report in DCH Steel’s corporate newspaper on Thursday, since the start of the full-scale invasion, the company has not been able to sell its products for export, as such supplies were mostly unprofitable. During this time, Euro profiles were produced at Rolling Shop No. 2 only in the summer of 2023 at the request of Metinvest.
It is also reported that during the first rolling campaign of the year, Rolling Shop No. 2 produced 7.1 thousand tons of products for Ukrainian and foreign consumers. The production campaign started on January 31 and lasted for two weeks seven days a week. It was planned to start work in mid-January, but the timing had to be adjusted due to a delay in the supply of billets for the export batch of rolled products.
During the winter campaign, the shop produced about 5,000 tons of channels under a standard tolling scheme for the Ukrainian market and 2,000 tons of products for European countries. To produce Euro profiles, we purchased a long billet and cut it into multiple lengths – this is the first time such work has been done at Mill 550, previously it was performed at Rolling Shop No. 1.
For the first time, commercial batches of channels were made from cast squares, and the production of export products from this type of billet was launched in 2024.
“Over the past two years, the rollers have done a lot of work to switch from rolled to cast billets. This made it possible to reduce production costs. Now we are continuing this work: during the winter campaign, the shop mastered the production of channel 22 from a cast billet with a cross section of 200×200 mm. Previously, this type of profile was made exclusively from rolled billets of 135×280, so suppliers had to additionally roll the billets produced by the CCM to the required parameters. The experiment was successful, and in the next campaign we plan to produce a commercial batch of channel 22 from a cast billet,” explained Yuriy Mikhailov, Deputy General Director for Metallurgical Production.
The plant continued experiments to master the production of R-34 rail products, which were previously manufactured at Mill 800: the billet was rolled through the first stand and templates were taken for analysis.
“The campaign lasted longer than planned due to the experiments and certain difficulties encountered when rolling channels from cast billets. There were stoppages due to breakdowns of crane equipment and the lower shaft of stand No. 7. But in general, the shop was well prepared and worked well. Almost all of the products have been shipped to customers, and we have no comments on quality,” stated Mikhailov.
Rolling Shop No. 2 is currently repairing equipment to ensure that the next production cycle is efficiently run. The second rolling campaign is expected to start in March-April.
It is also reported that all channels in accordance with DSTU 10 to 22 and the main range of Euro profiles have been converted to cast billets at Mill 550. In the next rolling campaign, the shop plans to launch production of 24 channels from cast squares. In January-February, Rolling Shop No. 2 rolled channels 10 to 30 for Ukrainian customers and Euro channels U 120, U 140, U 160, U 180 and U 200.
DMZ specializes in the production of steel, cast iron, rolled products and products made from them.
On March 1, 2018, DCH Group signed an agreement to buy Dnipro Metallurgical Plant from Evraz.
The total exports of grains and oilseeds from Ukraine in July-January of 2024/25 marketing year (MY) (July 2024-June 2025) are estimated at $11 billion, up 13.4% compared to $9.7 billion in the same period last year, the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) reported on Facebook.
According to the report, corn exports are leading in the group of grains, which in July-January of 2024/25 MY is estimated at $2.412 bln against $2.098 bln in the same period of the previous MY, wheat – $2.084 bln ($1.488 bln), barley – $350 mln ($212 mln).
At the same time, in the oilseeds segment, the shipments of soybeans and rapeseed increased to $909 mln ($718 mln) and $1.452 bln ($1.145 bln), respectively, while the exports of sunflower seeds decreased to $22 mln ($57 mln).
In the current season, Ukraine reduced exports of sunflower oil to $2.701 billion ($2.777 billion) and sunflower meal to $682 million ($774 million). Shipments of other vegetable oils decreased to $393 million ($438 million).
In 2024, Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group significantly increased its total exports and sales of iron ore to more than 12 million tons and significantly reduced production costs, Metinvest CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov said in an interview with Forbes Ukraine.
“We have fully returned to the operational efficiency improvement program. For example, we have reconfigured our business process to use our own raw materials. And by most indicators, I mean technical, technological, and production ones, we have returned to the best results of 2020-2021,” the CEO stated.
According to him, the main disadvantage is the electricity outage and problems with its import. Another problem is the increase in tariffs for the services of natural monopolists, primarily the increase in electricity transportation tariffs and logistics. In addition, the aggressor’s offensive towards Pokrovsk. As a result, the group was forced to suspend the mine’s operations due to the inability to ensure electricity supply and safety factors for employees.
“We were preparing for this and diversified our supply chain for the same coal – we contracted as much as we could from other companies and shipped it for Ukraine’s needs from our plant in the US. We will definitely not stop steel production because of the temporary shutdown of the Pokrovsk mine. But it will have a serious impact on the company’s economy. Instead of supplying coal via the nearest logistics route, from Pokrovsk to Zaporizhzhia and Kamianske, we will now have to buy coal all over the world, and the logistics component will have a significant impact on our production costs. In general, up to 10% of the cost of coal,” said the CEO.
Answering a question about Donald Trump’s economic policy and expectations for the consequences for the global economy, Ryzhenkov explained that “it is not really known which initiatives of Donald Trump are serious and which are working to raise rates or invite to a dialogue.”
“We see tumultuous actions that make waves in the entire global economy, currencies, and so on. How will it all end? When a major power like the United States turns to protectionism, it is a serious problem for the global economy and, by the way, for the United States itself. It’s just that they will feel the consequences later – in three to four years,” the top manager predicts.
In turn, he noted that Metinvest’s deliveries to the US are insignificant – not even within the margin of error: “The largest share is pig iron, which is not subject to duty, and I think this will not change – it is the raw material for the American economy.”
Speaking about staffing issues, the CEO said that more than 20% of the group’s employees, or 30% of those liable for military service, are currently mobilized. Ryzhenkov believes that we need a normal, well-thought-out reservation system that will allow us to work. Reservations are not a privilege for business, as some say, but an integral part of preserving the economic basis of the state’s defense capability. If the economy does not work, Ukraine will lose the war, despite the support of the West.
As for the export strategy, it has not changed much compared to the period before the full-scale war.
“There are our key markets – Ukraine, the EU countries, where we supplied more than 50% of our products before the full-scale invasion. And then there are all the others, the so-called balance markets, which are characterized by a more opportunistic approach to supply. When it’s profitable for us, we go there, and when it’s not profitable, we don’t go there,” the CEO stated.
The Group’s key markets for iron ore are the EU countries. And the company has expanded them, entering Scandinavia and the Nordic countries. What we cannot sell in the EU due to limited consumption volumes is sold to Southeast Asia: China, South Korea, and so on, said the company’s CEO.
“The main thing we have focused on is the production of iron ore with a higher iron content, which is now in demand. We have already mastered its production at our joint venture, Pivdennyi GOK. Before the full-scale invasion, we did it at our Central GOK,” explained the CEO.
Regarding the forecast – what factors will have the greatest impact on exports in 2025 and what are the potential critical risks – Ryzhenkov divides them into several blocks. The first is to maintain the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers in foreign markets. This requires that state-owned monopolies do not create additional tariff pressure on operating businesses.
The second is maintaining access to foreign markets (it is important to preserve the liberalization of steel trade with the EU, the US, and the UK) and strengthening sanctions against the Russian metals and mining industry, which continues to sell slabs and pig iron to the EU because of the position of certain countries.
The third is a consistent environmental and industrial policy of the state on eco-modernization and decarbonization. Ukraine needs a delay in the CBA because of the war. And confirming the criticality of booking and engaging veterans in the workforce will remain a relevant factor because of the risk of losing qualified personnel.
“As for new challenges, it is access to financing for modernization and green transition projects in the mining and metals sector, as well as ensuring stable demand for Ukrainian steel in the domestic market. But these topics are post-war, and we can talk about them separately when peace comes,” the expert believes.
Speaking about the energy independence of Metinvest’s enterprises, the CEO said that the group has its own generation, about 45-50 MW, which provides the most critical processes – about 10% of the company’s energy consumption. Another 40 MW of gas-fired generation is under construction, which will be commissioned in 2025, and solar panels are also being installed.
Regarding investments, the CEO emphasized that due to security risks, the company cannot invest in Ukraine as before. There were serious investment plans in Mariupol, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, and Kamianske. Nevertheless, in 2024, the total investment volume reached about $670 million at the group’s sites in Ukraine. This includes both OPEX and CAPEX. As soon as the company is able to attract financing, there will be plans for large projects.
This year, we also have many plans, for example, a tailings pulp thickening project at Northern GOK and the repair of blast furnace No. 9 at Kametstal are being implemented at our own expense. The volume of investments in these projects in Ukraine alone is about $50 million.
Investment plans abroad include the largest project for the coming years – the construction of a green steel plant in Italy. The estimated cost of the joint project is EUR 2.5 billion.
Among other potential acquisitions, the company is interested in Eastern and Southern Europe – regions where it is possible to create synergies with the group’s existing business processes and Ukrainian assets. The company may take part in a tender for the sale of the Polish plant Huta Chestochowa, which once belonged to the Industrial Union of Donbass.
“In Ukraine, we have a $8 billion strategy for the green modernization of Ukrainian enterprises for 7-10 years. We are ready to launch this strategy as soon as the war is over and Ukraine receives security guarantees,” Ryzhenkov added.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of steel and mining companies. The group’s enterprises are mainly located in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions. The main shareholders of the holding are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
As of February 21, Ukraine exported 28.219 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2024-2025 marketing year, of which 2.528 mln tonnes were shipped this 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 27.627 mln tons, including 3.751 mln tons in February.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 11.714 mln tonnes of wheat (910 thsd tonnes in February), 2.113 mln tonnes of barley (49 thsd tonnes), 10.8 thsd tonnes of rye (0), and 13.954 mln tonnes of corn (1.561 mln tonnes).
The total export of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of February 21 is estimated at 46.4 thsd tonnes (2.9 thsd tonnes in February), including wheat – 42.9 thsd tonnes (2.8 thsd tonnes).
