Ukrainian exports of high-oleic sunflower oil in the 2025/26 season are expected to drop to 207,000 tons, which is 8% lower than the figures for the previous marketing year, according to the information and analytical agency “APK-Inform.”
“The high-oleic sunflower sector has not yet been able to return to pre-war production levels. Even a partial recovery in planted areas is offset by weather anomalies and extremely unstable premiums for farmers. Under such conditions, producers often opt for less risky crops, which automatically limits the export potential of the oil,” analysts explained.
According to their information, the geography of product shipments has undergone a significant transformation this season: the share of the traditional EU market in September–March fell from 72% to 60% (84,300 tons). At the same time, Ukrainian companies are actively expanding their presence in Asia and North America. In particular, exports to Malaysia rose by 82%, to Saudi Arabia by 47%, and Singapore increased its purchases more than 30-fold.
APK-Inform forecasts that reducing dependence on the European market and expanding sales to 50 countries worldwide will be the main driver for Ukraine’s vegetable oil segment in the coming years.
According to the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC), Ukraine exported 436,000 tons of poultry meat to foreign markets in 2025, a 2% decrease compared to the previous year.
The business association noted that despite a slight annual decline, current export volumes are 1% higher than the average for the past five years. The key consumers of Ukrainian products remain EU countries (30.6%), the Middle East (27.2%), and European countries outside the EU (22.6%).
According to analysts, total poultry meat production in 2025 amounted to 1,390,000 tons. Meanwhile, the industry is gradually recovering: the poultry population had grown to 192.3 million birds by early 2026 (+3%). The share of poultry in industrial enterprises is 64%, while in private households and small farms it is 36%.
“Growth is driven primarily by industrial enterprises that are investing in modernization and biosecurity, which allows them to maintain efficiency despite high feed costs,” the association explained.
A distinct trend of the year was a sharp decline in imports—to 46,000 tons, which is 73% below the five-year average. The UACB attributes this to increased market self-sufficiency and the expansion of domestic producers’ capacity, who are successfully replacing foreign products.
“The poultry industry is operating under pressure from economic and energy challenges, yet it maintains its production potential. The growing role of medium-sized and regional producers, as well as their investments in modernization, play a key role in supporting the domestic market and increasing exports,” the UCAB concluded.
Egg exports from Ukraine reached 216.2 million units in March 2026, marking a five-year high, according to the Ukrainian Poultry Farmers’ Union, citing customs statistics.
The association noted that compared to February, physical shipment volumes increased by 23% and by 25% compared to March 2025—a 25% increase. At the same time, foreign exchange revenue showed a much sharper increase, rising by 57% compared to March 2025—to $24 million.
“In total, during the first quarter of 2026, 579.5 million eggs were shipped to foreign markets for a total of $66 million. Physical exports during this period increased by 17%, while revenue surged by 74% compared to the same period last year,” the association clarified.
EU countries remained the main consumers of Ukrainian products in January–March, accounting for 74% of the export structure. The largest volumes went to Spain (26.1%), the United Kingdom (13.1%), Poland (11.7%), and Israel (8.3%).
As noted by the industry association, this gap between the growth rates of physical volumes and revenue is explained by the favorable price conditions that prevailed in the European market at the beginning of the year.
According to customs statistics cited by the Ukrainian Poultry Farmers Union, Ukraine shipped 43,470 metric tons of poultry meat to foreign markets in March 2026, marking the highest volume since January 2022.
The industry association noted that physical export volumes increased by 5.3% compared to February, rising from 41,080 tons. However, despite the growth in shipments, the industry’s foreign exchange revenue in March fell by 3.8% to $85.05 million.
“The decline in foreign exchange earnings despite increased shipments is directly linked to the drop in global prices. In March, the average selling price of Ukrainian chicken fell to $1.96 per kg,” the association explained.
The main export destinations in the first quarter of 2026 were the Netherlands (18.9% of the total volume), the United Kingdom (12.4%), Slovakia (10.1%), and the UAE (7.9%).
According to the association, the EU’s share of total exports for January–March was 35.8% (42,400 tons). At the same time, the European market remains the most profitable: it accounted for 46.4% of all revenue generated by Ukrainian poultry producers in the first quarter of the year.
According to data from the State Customs Service, Ukraine exported 2,790 metric tons of live cattle in March 2026, which is 58% more than in February of this year and 12% higher than in March 2025, reported the Association of Milk Producers (AMP), citing data from the State Customs Service.
The industry association noted that revenue from livestock exports in March amounted to $5.26 million, which is 16% more than in February. In total, 5,530 tons of cattle worth $11.61 million were shipped to foreign markets in the first quarter of 2026. These figures are 6.1% and 10% higher, respectively, than the results for the same period last year.
A similar trend is observed in the meat segment. In particular, exports of fresh or chilled beef in March rose by 102% compared to the previous month, reaching 467.2 tons worth $3.69 million. Shipments of frozen beef increased by 31% to 1,670 tons, valued at $7.37 million.
“Ukraine has increased cattle exports amid high prices in export markets and a certain shortage of red meat globally. Low domestic purchase prices for raw milk served as an additional incentive for farmers, driving growth in sales of cattle for slaughter and export,” the UBA’s analytical department notes.
According to the association, the global beef shortage is being driven by high demand in the U.S. due to limited domestic supply ahead of the barbecue season. A similar situation exists in Brazil, where livestock prices have reached historic highs amid active exports to China. Australia is also reporting ten-year highs in production, attempting to compensate for the supply shortage in the Korean and Japanese markets.
At the same time, the negative price situation in Ukraine’s dairy market has led to a complete halt in the import of heifers: in March 2026, not a single head of breeding cattle was imported into the country.
Ukraine’s positive foreign trade balance in live cattle and beef trade amounted to $15.21 million as of the end of March.
According to the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC), Ukraine exported 19,600 tons of beef in 2025, which is 1.5% less than the previous year and 15% below the average for the past five years.
The business association noted that total beef production last year amounted to 222,000 tons. Despite war-related risks, producers continue to actively respond to high international demand due to low activity in the domestic market. The key export destinations were European countries outside the EU (44.7% of the total volume) and Asia (40.5%).
The association’s analysts noted that the industry continues to face a decline in the cattle herd. As of 2025, the cattle herd stands at 2.0 million head, which is 10% less than in 2024 and 24% below the five-year average. The largest decline was recorded in private households and the eastern regions of the country.
“Since the domestic market is less active, producers are optimizing sales by focusing on more profitable foreign markets. Global demand for meat is encouraging Ukrainian farmers and enterprises to increase exports, making foreign trade a strategic factor in supporting the industry,” experts explained.
According to UCAB data, cattle currently account for 45% (0.9 million head) of the total herd at enterprises, while 55% (1.1 million head) are concentrated in private households.
Beef imports in 2025 amounted to 2,000 tons, which is 35% less than in 2024 and 4.5 times lower than the average over the past five years.
