The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food estimates grain exports in the 2024-2025 season at 40 million tons, as the volume is not a record, and the existing infrastructure will be sufficient to supply agricultural products to foreign markets, said First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky during a national telethon.
“This year’s harvest is somewhat smaller than the previous year due to difficult climatic conditions. Also, this year there are no carry-over balances from the previous period. Therefore, grain exports are estimated at around 40 million tons. This is not a significant and record volume. We are confident that the existing infrastructure, in particular the Danube region, land corridors, rail and road transport, and the sea corridor (…) will allow this average volume to be exported and delivered in time to the countries that need it,” he said.
Commenting on Polish farmers’ preparations to block the Ukrainian-Polish border near the Medyka checkpoint, Vysotsky confirmed that such statements were made by the Polish side.
“I want to emphasize that work is underway at the interstate level and at the level of associations to prevent these statements from being realized in any concrete actions. We show figures confirming that there is no influence of Ukrainian products on the Polish market. The vast majority of products crossing the land border are in transit and do not remain on the Polish market.
The First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy emphasized that Ukraine sees no reason to block the border and will do everything possible to prevent protests by Polish farmers.
Ukraine has exported 12.04 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2024-2025 marketing year (MY, June-July) as of October 14, 2024, including 1.593 mln tonnes shipped in October, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the data of the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of the same date in 2023, the total shipments were estimated at 6.676 mln tonnes, including 7 thsd tonnes in October.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 6.894 mln tonnes of wheat (796 thsd tonnes in October), 1.575 mln tonnes of barley (252 thsd tonnes), 10.5 thsd tonnes of rye (3.1 thsd tonnes), and 3.302 mln tonnes of corn (538 thsd tonnes).
The total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of October 14 are estimated at 21.5 thsd tonnes (2.6 thsd tonnes in October), including 19.4 thsd tonnes of wheat (2.1 thsd tonnes).
The USAID Economic Support for Ukraine Project (USAID Project) has announced the launch of a grant program to compensate at least 20 Ukrainian agricultural logistics companies for 30% of the cost of grain handling equipment from Kobzarenko Plant LLC, the project’s press service reports on Facebook.
According to the report, the USAID support program for Ukrainian agricultural companies provides that the company buys equipment from the manufacturer for 70% of its cost, and 30% is compensated by the USAID Project. Such business support is expected to increase grain export and transshipment capacity by 2.5 million tons per year.
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with annual revenues not exceeding the equivalent of EUR40 million can purchase the equipment at a 30% discount.
This program is not available to agricultural holdings and companies that have already received assistance from USAID or will receive it in the near future, the donor organization added.
As part of the support program, companies can purchase equipment that will help improve the efficiency of grain handling processes at all key nodes of the export route, namely: mobile wagon unloader RVM-180, ground reloading bunker BNP-12 “Ark”, belt loader SN-25 in electric version.
The USAID project has expressed its readiness to compensate 30% of the cost of 51 units of equipment from Kobzarenko Plant.
Ukraine has exported 10.647 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of the 2024-2024 marketing year (July-June) as of October 2, 197 mln tonnes of which were shipped on the first day 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 the same date last year, the total shipments were estimated at 6.676 mln tons, including 7 thsd tonnes in October.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, 6.207 mln tons of wheat have been exported (a year earlier, the figure was 3.342 mln tons), barley – 1.325 mln tons (622 thsd tonnes), rye – 7.5 thsd tonnes (0.7 thsd tonnes), corn – 2.849 mln tons (2.689 mln tons).
The total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of October 2 are estimated at 19.9 thsd tonnes (36.4 thsd tonnes), including 17.7 thsd tonnes (35.4 thsd tonnes) of wheat.
As of September 25, Ukraine exported 9.764 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2024-2025 marketing year (MY, July-June), of which 2.297 mln tonnes were shipped this month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 6.152 million tons, including 1.565 million tons in September.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 5.591 million tons of wheat, including 1.808 million tons in September, 1.245 million tons (132 thousand tons) of barley, 7.5 thousand tons (7.2 thousand tons) of rye, and 2.664 million tons (328 thousand tons) of corn.
The total exports of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season are estimated at 17.4 thsd tonnes (5.5 thsd tonnes in September), including 15.7 thsd tonnes of wheat (4.8 thsd tonnes).
The Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) opposes another increase in railroad tariffs for grain transportation, as it will further hit farmers who have already suffered $80 billion in losses due to Russia’s armed aggression, the association said in a statement.
The UGA recalled that in 2021-2022, Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) significantly increased tariffs for grain transportation, which led to a 96% increase in the cost of grain transportation. Subsequently, with the outbreak of war, the company resorted to raising tariffs due to a drop in transportation volumes.
“Indeed, during the blockade of Ukrainian seaports by Russia, grain transportation in their direction dropped significantly. However, with the opening of the Ukrainian sea corridor, grain exports from the country’s ports have almost recovered to pre-war levels, and, accordingly, the volume of grain transportation by rail to ports has increased,” the business association noted.
The UGA argues that the 11% increase in grain transportation tariffs proposed by UZ will hit Ukrainian farmers hard, who are suffering losses due to the war, lower global grain prices and lower crop yields this year. This move will make the price of grain uncompetitive on the global market, as exporters will be forced to reduce their purchase prices due to the rising cost of logistics, and as a result, farmers will suffer even greater losses.
At a time when the agricultural sector is one of the drivers of the Ukrainian economy, ensuring food and economic security for a country at war and in dire need of tax revenues, its losses will lead to a drop in production and exports. As a result, tax revenues to the state budget will decrease, and the country will face a shortage of funds to finance the Armed Forces and purchase weapons, the association states.
At the same time, the UGA welcomes UZ’s proposal to unify freight transportation, as the transportation of a ton of cargo costs the same, regardless of whether it is grain or coal. For many years, the Association has been pushing for the unification of railroad transportation tariffs.
According to the UGA, with the opening of the Ukrainian sea corridor, Ukrzaliznytsia has significantly expanded its freight transportation base and increased its own revenues. Therefore, the best way to avoid unprofitability is for the company to optimize costs and improve the efficiency of production processes.
