In January 2025, Ukraine increased imports of lead and lead products by 4.3 times compared to the same period in 2024, to $580 thousand (in December – $1.193 million). At the same time, lead exports decreased by 26.3% to $643 thousand (December: $583 thousand).
Lead is currently mainly used in the production of lead-acid batteries for the automotive industry. In addition, lead is used to make bullets and some alloys.
In January 2025, imports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 9.4% year-on-year to $36.658 million (in December – $36.943 million). In January, aluminum exports increased by 17.9% to $9.431 million, while in December this figure was $8.426 million.
Aluminum is widely used as a structural material. The main advantages of aluminum are its lightness, stampability, corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, and 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 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three properties have made aluminum the main raw material in the aviation and aerospace industries (recently it has been replaced by composite materials, primarily carbon fiber).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 the construction and production of packaging, such as aluminum cans and foil, the energy sector is the largest consumer of the metal.
Imports to Ukraine of power generating sets and rotating electrical converters (UKTZED 8502) in January-2025 increased almost eightfold in monetary terms compared to January-2024, to $178.36 million, according to statistics from the State Customs Service (SCS).
According to the State Customs Service, in January of this year, the most frequently imported electric generators and converters were from Austria (14.1% of total exports of these products or $25.13 million), the United States (13.6% or $24.2 million) and Romania (13.3% or $23.7 million), while a year earlier it was the Czech Republic ($6.7 million), China ($5.6 million) and Turkey ($3.4 million).
In addition, in January, imports of electric batteries and separators to Ukraine more than tripled to $94.83 million, most often imported from China (77.8%), Bulgaria (11%) and Taiwan (3.3%).
As reported, at the end of July 2024, Ukraine exempted the import of power generating equipment and batteries to Ukraine from customs duties and VAT.
According to the State Customs Service, in 2024, imports of electric generators and converters to Ukraine increased by 3.7% compared to 2023, to $732.5 million, and batteries more than doubled to $950.6 million.
In January 2025, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 66% compared to the same period in 2024, to $1.216 million. In December 2024, this figure was $3.058 million. Nickel exports in January 2025 amounted to $33 thousand, while in December it was $17 thousand. In 2024, Ukraine exported nickel worth $532 thousand.
Nickel is used to produce stainless steel and for nickel plating. Nickel is also used in the production of batteries, powder metallurgy, and chemicals.
In January 2025, Ukrainian companies reduced imports of copper and copper products by 17.93% compared to the same period in 2024, to $13.815 million. At the same time, copper exports increased by 31.7% to $6.951 million during this period. In December 2024, copper imports amounted to $13.487 million, and exports amounted to $7.128 million.
Copper is widely used in electrical engineering, pipe manufacturing, alloys, medicine and other industries.
Imports of tractors to Ukraine in January this year amounted to $43.87 million, which is 34% less than in the same month in 2023, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
According to the statistics released by the agency, tractors were mainly imported from China (21.2% of total imports of this equipment, or $9.3 million), Germany (5.5%, or $12.4 million), and the United States (10.7%, or $4.7 million), while a year earlier it was Poland (19.5%), Germany (19.3%), and the Netherlands (11%).
According to the statistics, in January, tractors were exported for $0.56 million against $0.3 million a year earlier, mainly to Zambia (41.4%), Romania (36.2%), and the Czech Republic (14%).
Imports of tractors to Ukraine in 2024 amounted to almost $784 million, down 5.6% from a year earlier, while exports amounted to $5.44 million against $5.74 million.
