In January-November of this year, Ukraine’s metallurgical enterprises increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 3.72% compared to the same period last year, to $2 billion 979.392 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Friday, ferrous metals accounted for 8.08% of total export revenues during this period, compared to 7.48% in January-October 2024.
In November, export revenues amounted to $274.028 million, compared to $312.781 million in the previous month.
At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 12.6% to $1 billion 542.449 million in January-November 2025. In November, products worth $107.877 million were imported.
In addition, in January-November 2025, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 1.96% to $853.934 million. In November, exports amounted to $79.789 million.
Imports of metal products during this period increased by 21.4% to $1 billion 166.113 million. In November, $119.551 million worth of these products were imported.
As reported, in 2024, Ukrainian metal companies increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 16.9% compared to the previous year, to $3 billion 96.343 million. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 13.1% over the past year, to $1 billion 478.814 million.
In 2023, Ukraine reduced its revenues from ferrous metal exports by 41.6% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.72 million. Ferrous metals accounted for 7.3% of total revenues from goods exports during this period, while in 2022, the share was 10.3%. At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% in 2023, to $1 billion 307.05 million.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% compared to 2022, to $877.92 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3%, to $902.57 million.
The dairy industry, which is one of the key sectors of Ukraine’s agricultural sector, has retained its production base and is gradually recovering despite the full-scale war, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Taras Vysotsky said at the XVII All-Ukrainian Conference “Dairy Business-2025” in Kyiv on Thursday.
The deputy minister noted that in January-October 2025, Ukraine produced almost 5.9 million tons of milk.
“An important trend is the growing role of agricultural enterprises: they already account for 45% of production, and their production volumes have increased by 7.6%, despite the overall reduction in livestock numbers. Quality is also improving: more than 55% of milk sent for processing meets the European ‘extra’ standard,” he wrote on Facebook.
Vysotsky emphasized that the industry is also actively working in foreign markets. In the first 10 months of 2025, exports of dairy products grew by almost 9%. Sixty-four Ukrainian companies have permission to export dairy products to the EU, 40 of which are milk processing plants.
“Despite the challenges, we are maintaining the stability of current indicators and forming a resource for further growth – this is our realistic and strategic focus. The next step is investment, modernization, and a clear move towards integration with the European market,” the deputy minister concluded.
Barley exports from Ukraine between July and November of the 2025-2026 marketing year (MY, July-June) amounted to 1.2 million tons, which is 37% less than shipments during the same period of the 2024/25 MY and represents 46% of the projected export potential of grain, according to the information and analytical agency “APK-Inform”.
Experts noted that in November this year, barley exports from Ukraine amounted to 78.2 thousand tons, which is 50% less than in the same period a year earlier.
The main importers of Ukrainian grain in July-November were China, which purchased 42% of all shipments, Turkey with a share of 20%, and Libya (12%). At the same time, Turkey increased its imports of Ukrainian barley by 6.4 times in 2025/26 MY, purchasing 233 thousand tons compared to 36 thousand tons last season. Meanwhile, China and Libya reduced their barley purchases by 31% and 37%, respectively.
“The export potential of Ukrainian barley in 2025/26 MY is estimated at 2.5 million tons, which is 11% higher than last MY. The gross grain harvest is expected to reach 5.3 million tons,” according to APK-Inform’s forecast.
Total foreign trade in dairy products in November amounted to $54.7 million, up 3.3% from October ($53 million), according to the Ukrainian Dairy Industry Association (UDIA).
The industry association noted that export volumes in November continued to grow for the second month in a row and amounted to $23.84 million, adding 12.7% compared to October ($21.16 million) and 15.4% compared to September ($20.7 million).
At the same time, the value structure of exports in November 2025 was as follows: condensed milk and cream – 37%, cheese – 25%, butter – 21%. The value structure of exports in November 2025 compared to November 2024 changed slightly: the share of milk and condensed cream increased (from 30% to 37%) against the backdrop of a decrease in the share of cheese (from 32% to 25%).
Imports in November amounted to $30.9 million, down 2.9% from October ($31.8 million) and 2.2% from September ($31.6 million). In November 2025 compared to November 2024, the value structure of imports did not change significantly, in particular, the share of all types of cheese remained at about 84%.
The export-import balance in November was negative (-$7.0 million), as it was in October (-$10.6 million) and September (-$10.9 million), the association noted.
The ratio of exports to imports was 0.77 in November, 0.67 in October, and 0.65 in September.
Imports of dairy products in November this year exceeded exports by 1.3 times, the SMU summarized.
Vegetable oils accounted for 23% of Ukrainian exports in 2024, 60.9% of which went to European countries, according to the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC).
Analysts noted that 15% of vegetable oil exports from Ukraine were delivered to the Middle East, 14.8% to Southeast Asia, 4.8% to Africa, 3.1% to Asia (other countries), and 1.4% to America.
At the same time, sunflower oil accounted for 89.0% of exports, soybean oil for 5.5%, rapeseed oil for 4.2%, and others for 1.3%.
The UACB noted that sunflower oil accounts for the lion’s share (89%) in this category, which confirms Ukraine’s status as a key player in the global market for this product, while the share of soybean and rapeseed oils is also gradually increasing.
After record revenues of $7.04 billion from oil exports in 2021, even in the context of full-scale war, export revenues consistently exceed $5.6 billion annually. The 2024 figure ($5.76 billion) confirmed that this sector has not only survived but also successfully adapted to the new realities, remaining a reliable pillar of the economy, the business association emphasized.
At the same time, unlike raw material groups, vegetable oils as a processed product have a more diversified geography. Although Europe remains the leader, the total share of Asian and Middle Eastern countries exceeds 30%, which indicates the demand for Ukrainian oil in distant markets. The global demand for Ukrainian oil is confirmed by the overall improvement in export logistics and the increase in the number of importing countries, which rose to 139 in 2024 (compared to 133 in 2023).
“Vegetable oils remain a significant driver of Ukraine’s foreign trade among value-added products. One of the critical factors for exports remains the issue of the availability of logistics routes,” the association emphasized.
The UACB recalled that in 2024, the deep-water ports of the Black Sea regained their dominant position, accounting for almost half of all exports (compared to less than 15% in 2023), but alternative export channels—the Danube ports and the “Solidarity Routes”—continue to play a significant role, accounting for over 45% of shipments.
Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural holdings, exported 1.3 million tons of grain in July-September 2026 (FY, July 2025-June 2026) exported 1.3 million tons of grain, which is 15% less than in the same period last year, but 27% more than in the previous quarter, thanks to greater availability of grain on the domestic market after the start of the winter wheat harvest.
According to the published quarterly report, wheat accounted for 74% of Kernel’s total exports, with the rest being corn and barley.
“The start of the new financial year for the Infrastructure and Trade segment was shaped by two key market dynamics: a delay in the harvesting campaign in Ukraine caused by weather conditions and slower-than-usual sales by farmers,” the agricultural holding said.
As a result, the cargo turnover of export terminals in the first quarter of FY 2026 amounted to 1.8 million tons, which is 17% less than in the same period last year, leading to a decrease in grain exports and the group’s overall sales portfolio of vegetable oils and meal.
Grain accounted for 75% of the total cargo turnover, edible oils for 13%, and vegetable meal for the rest.
The volume of grain received by silos in July-September 2026 FR amounted to 1.2 million tons, which is 34% less than in the previous year. Of this amount, 796 thousand tons were received from the agricultural holding’s own agricultural enterprises, and the rest from third-party suppliers.
“The decrease in arrivals mainly reflects the later start of the group’s harvesting campaign, as unfavorable weather conditions and uneven ripeness of crops in different regions delayed and reduced deliveries to warehouses,” Kernel explained.
The Infrastructure and Trade segment generated EBITDA of $20 million in the first quarter of 2026 FY, down 62% from the previous year.
Before the war, Kernel was the world’s leading producer of sunflower oil (about 7% of global production) and its exporter (about 12%). It is 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.
