In January 2026, Ukraine reduced exports of beef and cattle amid a seasonal lull, rising logistics costs, and declining demand, according to the Milk Producers Association (MPA), citing data from the State Customs Service.
The industry association noted that live cattle exports in January amounted to about 958 tons, which is 36% less than in December 2025 and 33% less than in January 2025. Foreign exchange earnings in this segment fell to $1.82 million, which is 46% less than in December 2025.
Exports of fresh or chilled beef in January this year decreased by 32% compared to December, to 292 tons, but significantly exceeded the volume of January last year, when it amounted to 21 tons. Revenue for this product in the reporting period amounted to $2.22 million.
The actual volume of frozen beef exports amounted to 966 tons, which is 34% less than in December and 31% less than in January 2025. The monetary proceeds amounted to almost $4.62 million.
“The decline in exports in January is likely due to increased shelling of port infrastructure, which led to higher logistics costs due to risk insurance and route changes. In addition, the market saw a traditional decline in demand at the beginning of the year after active purchases at the end of 2025,” said Georgiy Kukhiashvili, an analyst at the association, whose words are quoted in the report.
According to the UMA, beef imports also declined. In particular, purchases of chilled meat fell to 6 tons (-54% compared to the previous month), and frozen meat to 81 tons (-18%).
The foreign trade balance in January 2026 remained positive and amounted to $7.82 million, the UAA concluded.
Flour exports from Ukraine fell to 66,800 tons in 2025, the lowest level since 2006, according to a report by the Ukrainian Flour Millers Association published by APK-Inform.
According to the data, this figure is 36.6% lower than the pre-war level in 2021 (105,300 tons) and 15.3% lower than the volume in 2022 (78,900 tons).
“The war has practically blocked the opportunity for our flour millers to earn extra money on the international market. Problems with logistics have led to the loss of almost all our usual markets. Only Moldova remains, and there is now an opportunity to export to the European Union, which accounts for more than half of the total volume,” the document notes.
The association emphasized that deliveries are currently carried out exclusively by rail and road transport. At the same time, experts stressed that until Ukrainian ports are opened, there will be no opportunity to compete with other exporters on the world market, nor any hope for growth in foreign trade volumes.
According to the Ukrainian Flour Millers Association, the recorded volume of flour exports of 66.8 thousand tons is the lowest since 2006, when only about 10.5 thousand tons of this product were supplied to foreign markets.
The volume of exports of insulated wires and cables (including fiber optic cables) from Ukraine in January 2026 increased by 8.5% in monetary terms compared to the same month in 2025, reaching $113.2 million.
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, Germany was the largest importer of Ukrainian products, as it was last year, with shipments increasing by 8% to $39 million, while its share of total exports of these products remained almost unchanged at 34.5%.
As in January 2025, the top three importers also included Poland ($18.2 million, 16%) and Hungary ($17.7 million, 15.7%).
At the same time, imports of these products to Ukraine increased by 13.8% to $46.3 million last month.
The largest suppliers of wires and cables to Ukraine in January were China ($13.8 million or almost 30%), Hungary ($12.4 million or 26.7%), and Poland ($5.6 million or 12.2%), while last year imports from China amounted to $10.8 million, Hungary – $10.6 million, and Poland – $5.9 million.
According to the State Customs Service, in 2025 Ukraine increased exports of insulated wires and cables by 10.6% compared to 2024, to $1.41 billion, and imports by 24.3%, to $590.7 million.
In January 2026, Ukraine increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 7.5% to $39.414 million (in December — $43.298 million).
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in January 2026 increased by 24.4% compared to the same period last year, to $11.730 million (in December, $11.805 million).
In 2025, Ukraine increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 15.3% to $514.098 million.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in 2025 increased by 22.9% compared to 2024, reaching $152.919 million.
In 2024, Ukraine increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 21.7%, reaching $446.006 million.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in 2024 increased by 27.4% compared to the previous year, reaching $124.408 million.
At the same time, in 2023, imports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 7.7%, reaching $366.463 million.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in 2023 increased by 0.7% compared to 2022, reaching $97.616 million.
Aluminum is widely used as a structural material. The main advantages of aluminum are its lightness, malleability, corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and the 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 for 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 construction and packaging production—aluminum cans and foil—the largest consumer of metal is the energy industry.
For a more detailed overview of global aluminum production from 1970 to 2024, see the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel.
In January 2026, Ukraine doubled its imports of nickel and nickel products compared to the same period last year, to $2.466 million (in December, it was $2.419 million).
Exports of nickel and nickel products amounted to $4,000 (in December — $175,000), while in January 2025 they amounted to $33,000.
In addition, in 2025 Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 2.7% compared to 2024 — to $26.011 million.
Exports of nickel and nickel products amounted to $1.420 million, compared to $602,000 for the 12 months of 2024.
In addition, Ukraine increased imports of nickel and nickel products by 73.7% in 2024 compared to 2023, to $26.730 million.
Exports of nickel and nickel products amounted to $602,000, compared to $532,000 in 2023.
At the same time, in 2023, it reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 74.2% compared to 2022, to $15.391 million.
Exports of nickel and nickel products amounted to $532,000, compared to $1.268 million in 2022.
Nickel is used in the production of stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, in powder metallurgy, and in chemical reagents.
In January 2026, Ukraine reduced imports of zinc and zinc products by 26.3% to $1.986 million (in December — $4.392 million).
Zinc exports last month reached $81,000 (in December — $68,000), while in January 2025 they were $137,000.
In 2025, imports of zinc and zinc products decreased by 9.6% to $52.982 million.
Zinc exports last year reached $1.234 million, while in 2024 they amounted to $563,000.
In 2024, Ukraine increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 27.5% to $58.610 million.
Zinc exports in 2024 amounted to $563,000, while in 2023 they amounted to $130,000.
In 2023, the country increased imports of zinc and zinc products to $45.966 million (+18.8%).
Zinc exports in 2023 amounted to $130 thousand, compared to $1.331 million in 2022.
Pure zinc metal is used to recover precious metals, protect steel from corrosion, and for other purposes.
