In January-May this year, Ukrainian mining companies reduced exports of iron ore in physical terms by 12.8% year-on-year to 13 million 545,967 thousand tons from 15 million 542,428 thousand tons.
According to the statistics released by the State Customs Service on Friday, during this period, foreign exchange earnings from the export of iron ore decreased by 21.5% to $1 billion 73.888 million from $1 billion 367.161 million.
Exports of iron ore were carried out mainly to China (44.98% of supplies in monetary terms), Slovakia (17.17%) and Poland (16.65%).
In addition, in January-May 2025, Ukraine imported iron ore worth $46 thousand in the amount of 65 tons from the Netherlands (46.67%), Norway (28.89%) and Italy (24.44%), while in the same period last year it imported 303 tons worth $121 thousand.
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine increased exports of iron ore by 89.8% compared to 2023 – up to 33 million 699.722 thousand tons, while foreign exchange earnings increased by 58.7% to UAH 2 billion 803.223 million.
In 2024, Ukraine imported iron ore worth $414 thousand in a total volume of 2,042 thousand tons, while in 2023, 250 tons of this raw material were imported for $135 thousand.
In 2023, Ukraine decreased exports of iron ore in physical terms by 26% compared to 2022 – to 17 million 753.165 thousand tons. Foreign exchange earnings amounted to $1 billion 766.906 million (down 39.3%). The company imported iron ore for $135 thousand, totaling 250 tons.
In January-May 2025, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products by 20% compared to the same period last year, to $77.971 million. This is evidenced by the data of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
Copper exports also increased by 17.8% to $38.762 million over the same period. In May, the volume of imports amounted to $16.245 million, and exports – $9.635 million.
For comparison, in 2024, the volume of copper imports remained virtually unchanged compared to 2023 and amounted to $140.797 million. At the same time, exports increased by 22.4% to $88.237 million.
In 2023, despite the war, Ukraine doubled its copper imports to $140.795 million (+120% yoy), while exports decreased by 20.1% to $72.078 million. The upward trend in copper trade in 2025 indicates a recovery in demand for the metal from both the domestic market and foreign buyers.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloys, medicine and other industries.
imports, exports, copper
On Tuesday, June 24, Horodyshche-Pustovarivska Agrarian Company LLC (GOPAK), a member of the Hals Agro agricultural holding, exported biomethane of its own production for the first time, the industry publication ExPro reported.
According to the publication, the company exported almost 73,000 cubic meters of biomethane stored in Ukrainian underground storage facilities via the gas transportation system through Hungary. The buyer was German Uniper.
Thus, Hals Agro became the third exporter of biomethane, joining VitAgro and MHP.
“Hals Agro is a Ukrainian holding company specializing in grain and sugar production, turkey farming, and meat production. It also produces electricity from renewable energy sources and has four biogas complexes in
Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. The total design capacity is 14.7 MW of green electricity generation.
“Since 2021, Hals Agro has launched two biomethane projects, and in 2023 launched the production of the first industrial biomethane at the Lynovytske Biogas Complex.
Ashroholding has a biomethane plant in Chernihiv region with a capacity of 3 million cubic meters per year. In November 2024, it started pumping biomethane into Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) will hold a roundtable on export finance guarantees as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. This was announced by ICC Secretary General John Denton in an interview.
According to him, one of the main obstacles to investment is the lack of risk insurance coverage.
“We have invited banks, governments, and businesses to address this issue,” he added.
URC2025 will take place on July 10-11, 2025. It will be the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference, continuing a series of high-level political events dedicated to the rapid recovery and long-term reconstruction of Ukraine.
The ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) is the world’s largest business organization representing the interests of the private sector at the global level. Its headquarters are located in Paris. It has more than 170 member countries and over 45 million companies, entrepreneurs, and business associations worldwide.
Status: has observer status at the UN and works closely with the WTO, G20, IMF, and other international organizations
The ICC develops global standards and rules for doing business (e.g., Incoterms®); resolves international disputes through the ICC International Court of Arbitration, one of the most authoritative arbitration bodies in the world; and promotes free trade, sustainable development, and the digitalization of the economy.
For more details, see the interview at https://interfax.com.ua/news/interview/1082092.html
As of June 20, Ukraine had exported 40.04 million tons of grains and legumes since the beginning of the 2024-2025 marketing year (July-June), of which 1.668 million tons were shipped since the beginning of the current month,
according to the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, citing data from the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of June 21 last year, total shipments were estimated at 49.54 million tons, including 2.608 million tons in June.
At the same time, since the beginning of the current season, 15.566 million tons of wheat (18.123 million tons in 2023/2024 MY) have been exported, 2.314 million tons of barley (2.461 million tons), 10.8 thousand tons of rye (1.6 thousand tons), and 21.565 million tons of corn (28.416 million tons). (1.6 thousand tons), and corn – 21.565 million tons (28.416 million tons).
Total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of June 20 are estimated at 68.7 thousand tons (in 2023/2024 MY – 96.7 thousand tons), including wheat flour – 61.2 thousand tons (91.3 thousand tons).
According to the results of September-May 2024-2025 marketing year, Ukraine exported 2.68 million tons of sunflower meal, which is 29% less than in the same period of the 2023/2024 season and the lowest volume since the 2011/2012 marketing year, according to the information and analytical agency APK-Inform.
Analysts noted that about 49% of total Ukrainian meal exports went to the EU and another 35% to China.
“A total of 1.3 million tons were exported to the EU in the first nine months of the current season, which is 22% less than in the same period last season. Ukrainian products account for 63% of the EU’s total imports of this meal (43% in the previous season), but in addition to fierce competition from soybean meal, they are also being squeezed by Argentine sunflower meal, whose share has grown to 28% (20% in the previous marketing year),” the experts explained.
According to their information, exports of Ukrainian sunflower meal to China during the same period decreased by 25% and amounted to 944 thousand tons. On the Chinese market, Ukrainian products account for about 60% of total imports in September-April of the current season (71% in September-April of the 2023/24 season). Russian meal accounted for up to 27% of total imports during the same period, compared to 9% in the previous marketing year.
At the same time, shipments of sunflower meal from Kazakhstan to China increased almost fivefold, and its share in China’s imports is about 5%, APK-Inform summarized.
