Last year Ukraine exported agro-food products for the total sum of $23.4 billion, that is 16% less as compared to 2021.
According to an analysis by the Ukrainian Agrarian Export Association (UAEA), the figure was the second-largest since the country’s independence, despite the ongoing full-scale war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.
“The key issue for exporters in 2022 was to adapt to ensure all the necessary processes in the completely changed realities of the country’s agricultural sector. For value-added products, the situation managed to stabilize and keep under control, and some positions even showed growth,” the association specified in the document.
According to the Association, last year the total revenue from the export of meat and dairy products, potatoes, frozen vegetables increased, but the income of exporters decreased for the majority of varieties of fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, processed grains and confectionery products. Meanwhile, export prices for Ukrainian goods, including honey and eggs, continued to rise.
UAEA specified that in 2022 Ukraine exported meat and by-products for $925 million (+9% in 2021), including poultry meat for $853 million (+19%), frozen beef for $69 million (-40%), ready and canned meat products for $21.8 million (2-fold growth) and sausages for $2.9 million (-58%). An important event of the last year was the reduction of quantitative volumes of exported poultry meat due to the war by 10%, to 413 thousand tons.
In turn, proceeds from the export of dairy products reached $251 million (+41% by 2021), including milk powder and condensed milk – $90 million (+57%), butter and milk paste – $82 million (+56%), cheese – $42 million (+58%), non-condensed milk and cream – $16 million (+58%), whey – $15 million (-31%). Ukrainian exports of ice cream exceeded $19 million (+5%), having decreased in real terms by 8%, to 6.9 thousand tons.
In addition, in 2022 exported 27 thousand tons of eggs (-32% to 2021) for $42 million (-7%) and 48 thousand tons of honey (-17%) for $137 million (-5%).
The UAE also noted a decrease in exports of all commodity items of fruits and vegetables, except for potatoes and frozen vegetables. Thus, 0.9 thousand tons of cucumbers (-82% vs. 2021) were sold abroad for $1.6 million (-72%), 1 thousand tons of cabbage for $0.9 million (-64%), 0.3 thousand tons of tomatoes (-94%). tons of tomatoes (-94%) by $0.8 million (-84%), 0.4 thousand tons of onions and garlic (-98%) by $0.3 million (-94%), 0.3 thousand tons of carrots and other root crops (-98%) by 0.2 million (-94%). At the same time, there was an increase in export sales of potatoes – up to 29.7 thousand tons (+56%) at $4.4 million (+14%) and frozen vegetables – 8.7 thousand tons (+3%) at $11 million (+15%).
Export of canned tomatoes also decreased more than three times – to 15 thousand tons, bringing $16 million in revenues. Prepared unfrozen vegetables were sold abroad for $9.7 million (-32%) in the amount of 4 thousand tons (-37%).
The organization estimated that the proceeds from the export of fruits, berries and nuts by the end of 2022 was $313 million (-15% to 2021), including the sale of 84 thousand tons of frozen fruits, berries and nuts. tons of frozen berries and fruits (+11%) for $192 million (-11%), 25 thousand tons of walnuts (-28%) for $80 million (-30%), 46 thousand tons of apples and pears (+56%) for $19 million (+28%), 4 thousand tons of berry crops for $14 million (+12%).
Export of jam, jelly and marmalade by Ukraine in monetary and physical terms remained at the level of 2012: over $ 7 million with the delivery of more than 2 thousand tons. The value of export of canned fruit and berry products decreased to $10 million (-48%), along with a decrease in sales – 3.8 thousand tons (-58%).
uaAE specified that Ukraine in 2022 exported 75 thousand tons of wheat flour (-29% in 2021) for about $24 million (-35%). The situation with sales abroad of pasta also worsened – down to 18 thousand tons (-54%), sold for $40 million (-45%).
“Sales of confectionery sugar products to foreign markets decreased to $139 million (-32%) for 70 thousand tons (-31%). Exports of cocoa products and chocolate amounted to $147 million (-34%) in the amount of 46 thousand tons (-35%). There was also a decrease in foreign sales of bakery confectionery – to 69 thousand tons (-39%) worth $152 million (- 40%),” summed up the association.
Ukraine in 2022 reduced the export of pig iron in physical terms by 59% compared to the previous year – up to 1 million 325.275 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), during this period, the export of pig iron in monetary terms decreased by 61.1% – to $638.774 million.
In 2022, Ukraine imported 40 tons of cast iron worth $23 thousand, while in 2021 – 185 tons of cast iron worth $226 thousand.
Exports were mainly to the United States (38.47% of supplies in monetary terms), Poland (32.91%) and Turkey (8.12%), imports – from Germany (100%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2021 increased the export of pig iron in volume terms by 4.2% compared to 2020 – up to 3 million 235.772 thousand tons, the export of pig iron in monetary terms increased by 78.1% – to $ 1 billion 642.596 million. In this export was carried out mainly in the United States (53.61% of supplies in monetary terms), Italy (22.08%) and Turkey (9.74%).
In 2021, Ukraine imported 185 tons of cast iron worth $226 thousand from Germany (74.34%), Russia (20.35%) and Slovakia (5.31%), while in 2020, Ukraine imported 593 tons worth $417 thousand.
Ukraine in 2022 decreased export of titanium ores and concentrates in physical terms by 41.8% compared to the previous year – down to 322.143 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), exports of titanium ores and concentrates decreased by 19.6% in monetary terms – to $130.144 million.
At the same time, the main exports were shipped to the Czech Republic (47.91% in monetary terms), USA (11.94%) and Romania (9.75%).
Ukraine in 2022 imported 196 tons of similar products from Senegal (70.41%) and Turkey (29.59%) for $ 115 thousand (in October-December 2022, imports were not carried out), while in 2021 it imported 1.172 tons for $1.227 million.
As previously reported, Ukraine in 2021 increased the export of titanium ores and concentrates in volume terms by 3% compared with 2020 – up to 553.051 thousand tons, in monetary terms the export of titanium ores and concentrates increased by 17% – to $161.914 million. At that, the main exports were shipped to Mexico (21.23% in monetary terms), China (18.17%) and Czech Republic (14.07%).
Ukraine imported 1.172 thousand tons of titanium ores for $1.227 million from Senegal (87.03%) and Germany (12.97%) in 2021, while in 2020 it imported 1.010 tons for $ 855 thousand.
Ukraine currently produces titaniferous ores mainly at United Mining and Chemical Company PJSC (UMCP), that manages Volnogorsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (VGMK, Dnepropetrovsk region) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Combine (IGOK, Zhitomir region), as well as at Mezhdurechensk Mining and Processing LLC and Valki-Ilmenite LLC (both Irshansk, Zhitomir region).
In addition, the production and commercial firm VELTA (Dnipro) has built a mine at the Birzulovskoe deposit with a capacity of 240 thousand tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
Ukraine and Senegal will continue developing relations as regards supplies of Ukrainian agricultural products. Apart from the memorandum on mutual understanding in agriculture signed on January 9, the two countries have agreed on future high-level talks.
The results of the visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine to Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria were explained by the Head of the Ministry Mykola Solsky at the briefing in Kyiv on Monday.
“The meetings took place in Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria, these countries constantly “take” a lot of food and especially wheat. These are big markets in terms of population compared to the European market or many other countries: not with the same purchasing power, but it’s big and developing, so it needs to be monitored,” the minister said.
He also noted that each of the countries he visited is interested in developing cooperation with Ukraine and is ready to expand their ports to intensify the unloading and storage of Ukrainian grain.
Solskyy said that after the visit of the delegation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to Africa, the Ukrainian authorities will hold an additional meeting on the possibilities for the development of relations with the visited countries. According to him, joint projects are complicated by Russia’s traditional presence in the diplomatic field of Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.
“At the unofficial level, representatives of all the countries we talked to understand what is happening in Ukraine (full-scale war unleashed by Russia – IFU). Unfortunately, at the official level they are not always ready to declare it. Therefore, such visits lead to the development of relations and will gradually improve them,” said the Minister.
As reported, a delegation of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy during a trip to Africa signed a memorandum of cooperation with Senegal in the field of agriculture. In addition, Ukraine in the coming months will supply 25 thousand tons of grain to Nigeria in the framework of the humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine.
Exports of goods in % to previous period in 2021 and 2022
SSC of Ukraine
Ukraine in January-November this year, Ukraine has reduced the export of semi-finished products of carbon steel in physical terms by 70.6% compared to the same period last year – up to 1 million 824.586 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), in monetary terms, exports of semi-finished products of carbon steel during this period decreased by 69.4% – to $ 1 billion 147.436 million.
In addition, Ukraine imported 5,558 thousand tons of such products in January-November, which is 84.7% less than in January-November 2021. In monetary terms, imports decreased by 84.9% to $3.634 million.
As reported, Ukraine in 2021 decreased exports of semi-finished carbon steel products in volume terms by 9.5% compared to 2020 – up to 6 million 776.44 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports of semi-finished carbon steel products for the year increased by 48.8% – to $4 billion 93.02 million. The main exports were shipped to Italy (30.90% of deliveries in monetary terms), Turkey (12.77%) and the Dominican Republic (8.02%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 38.97 thousand tons of such products in 2021, which is 2.6 times more than in 2020. In monetary terms, imports increased by 3.9 times – up to $25.95 million. Imports were from the Russian Federation (97.73% of supplies), Turkey (1.15%) and Uzbekistan (1.08%).
