“Kernel, one of the largest Ukrainian agro-industrial groups, processed 845 thsd tonnes of oilseeds in the third quarter (January-March) of the financial year (FY) 2024/25, up 3% y-o-y, but down 9% q-o-q, according to the agroholding’s report.
According to the report, in January-March 2025, Kernel processed 694 thousand tons of sunflower seeds and, due to the lack of raw materials in the domestic market of Ukraine, also processed 151 thousand tons of soybeans at three plants. In addition, the agroholding processed 50 thou tons of sunflower seeds under tolling agreements with third parties.
As a result of processing of both sunflower seeds and soybeans in the third quarter of 2024/25, the agricultural holding’s edible oil sales fell by 9% year-on-year to 347 thsd tonnes. At the same time, sales of edible oil in the first nine months of FY2025 amounted to 1 mln tons, which is 6% less than in the same period last year.
The report also notes that grain supplies to the agricultural holding’s elevators decreased by 2% to 2.7 million tons in the first nine months of FY2025.
“In the third quarter of FY 2024/25, Kernel reduced grain exports by 15% to 1.6 mln tonnes compared to the same period last year, which it explained by the decline in the harvest in Ukraine. In total, Kernel exported 4.4 mln tons of grains and oilseeds in the first nine months of the year, accounting for 12% of the national exports.
Transshipment through the agricultural holding’s export terminals reached 2.5 million tons in the third quarter, up 2% year-on-year. This volume included 1.8 mln tons of grains, 0.3 mln tons of edible oil, and the rest was made up of oilseeds.
In total, for the first nine months, the transshipment volume amounted to 7.3 mln tons, up 65% year-on-year, due to the low comparison base in FY 2024/25 due to the closure of the Black Sea ports at the beginning of the season, the agricultural holding summarized.
Kernel is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil, one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. In addition, it is engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
In the first nine months of 2024, the agricultural holding reduced its net profit by 53% to $204 million, while its revenue decreased by 4% to $2.595 billion, and its EBITDA decreased by 36% to $384 million.
Ukraine has exported 34.451 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of the 2024-2025 marketing year (July-June), of which 1.627 mln tonnes have been shipped since the beginning of the month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of April 25 last year, the total shipments amounted to 40.289 million tons.
At the same time, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 13.623 mln tonnes of wheat (15.404 mln tonnes in 2023/24 MY), 2.247 mln tonnes of barley (2.178 mln tonnes), 10.8 thsd tonnes of rye (1.2 thsd tonnes), and 18.067 mln tonnes of corn (22.231 mln tonnes).
The total export of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of April 21 is estimated at 57 thsd tonnes (in 2023/24 MY – 85.7 thsd tonnes), including wheat – 52.9 thsd tonnes (81 thsd tonnes).
Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 49.3% to $3.9 million in January-March 2025.
In March, imports amounted to $1.92 million.
Exports of nickel products tripled to $361 thousand compared to $94 thousand last year, including $328 thousand in March.
In 2024, imports increased by 73.7% to $26.73 million, while exports rose to $602 thousand (+13%).
Nickel is used in the production of stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, powder metallurgy, and chemicals.
In January-March of this year, ferrous scrap enterprises increased exports of strategic raw materials for steelmaking companies by 32% year-on-year to 80.8 thousand tons.
According to the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet), scrap collectors increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 16.4% to 401 thousand tons in the period under review, up from 1Q2024.
Technological reserves of ferrous scrap at the enterprises were estimated at 20-25 thousand tons at the end of the first quarter. At the same time, the estimated technological needs of metallurgists for this raw material, according to the Association, are fully met, with an excess of 2.5-7.5%.
In January-March, the volume of ferrous scrap procurement increased by 18.5% to 505.9 thousand tons. According to UVTORMET, this trend is due to the high business activity of metallurgical and foundry enterprises, as well as the active export activities of Ukrainian scrap companies.
“In January-March 2025, there was a further increase in imports of ferrous metals to Ukraine, which amounted to 26.9% (about 336.4 thousand tons of steel products were imported). The main commodity items were coated flat products (≈ 32.9%), hot-rolled flat products (≈ 29.4%) and cold-rolled flat products (≈ 9.8%). The main volumes of steel products were imported from Turkey, Poland and China,” the report states.
Imports of scrap in Q1-2025 amounted to 0.03 thousand tons, in Q1-2024 – 0.25 thousand tons.
In addition, it is stated that steel production in the first quarter of this year amounted to 1.73 million tons, which is 2.7% more than in the same period last year.
As reported, scrap collectors increased scrap exports by 60.6% in 2024 compared to 2023, to 293.1 thousand tons (in 2023, exports amounted to 182.5 thousand tons, in 2022 – 53.6 thousand tons). Last year, they increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 29.8% year-on-year to 1.343 million tons. Last year, the volume of ferrous scrap procurement increased by 37% to 1.749 million tons. Scrap imports amounted to 1.2 thousand tons in 2024 and 1.1 thousand tons in 2023.
Last year, steel production totaled 7.575 million tons, up 21.6% year-on-year.
According to the forecast, Ukraine will produce 6.5-6.8 million tons of steel in 2025 (6.228 million tons in 2023 and 6.263 million tons in 2022) and 1.450-1.650 million tons of scrap metal (1,277.3 thousand tons in 2023 and 996.7 thousand tons in 2022). Steelmakers are also expected to consume 1.1-1.2 million tons of scrap (1 million 34.7 thousand tons in 2023 and 895.7 thousand tons in 2022), export 300-350 thousand tons of scrap (182.5 thousand tons in 2023 and 53.6 thousand tons in 2022), increasing the export of strategic raw materials for steelmakers. Scrap imports are expected to reach 1.5-3 thousand tons.
In January-March 2025, imports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 18.5% to $116.75 million, including $42.16 million in March.
Exports during this period increased by 35.5% to $31.7 million ($11.74 million in March). At the end of 2024, imports amounted to $446 million (+21.7%), while exports amounted to $124.4 million (+27.4%).
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 the first quarter of 2025, imports of lead and lead products to Ukraine increased 7.4 times to $2.09 million ($863 thousand in March).
Exports decreased by 25.2% to $2.12 million ($773 thousand in March).
In 2024, imports also increased by 2.4 times to $2.39 million, while exports fell by 22.9% to $11.4 million.
Lead is currently mainly used in the production of lead-acid batteries for the automotive industry. In addition, lead is used to make bullets and some alloys.
