Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Ukraine Expects a Potato Harvest of About 12.5 Mln Metric Tons in 2026

Potato production in Ukraine in 2026 is expected to reach about 12.5 million metric tons, which will be sufficient to meet domestic food needs, according to the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, citing Minister Taras Vysotsky.

“Potato production this year is expected to total about 12.5 million metric tons. The available volume is more than enough for the domestic market. The population consumes a maximum of 2–2.5 million metric tons per year. The rest of the harvest is traditionally used as seed potatoes and animal feed,” Vysotsky noted.

According to Vysotsky, potatoes are grown as a cash crop in Ukraine by about 400 specialized enterprises on a total area of approximately 60,000 hectares. A significant portion of the harvest is traditionally grown by households for their own consumption.

According to the State Statistics Service, the average selling price of potatoes currently stands at about 14 UAH per kilogram. Over the past week, it has fallen by 5%, and over the past month—by 15%; in some places, purchase prices have dropped to 12 UAH per kilogram.

Final figures on potato production will be available after the harvest campaign is complete, the ministry noted.

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Purchase price of sunflower seeds in Ukraine rose by 5% over week

The purchase price of sunflower seeds for domestic processing in Ukraine rose by $23 over the week—to $483 per metric ton on a CPT mill basis—while rapeseed prices rose by $5, to $485 per metric ton, according to brokerage firm Spike Brokers in its weekly market review.

According to the brokers, the rise in the purchase price of sunflower seeds was the strongest movement in the Ukrainian oilseed market. Over the week, the price of sunflower seeds on a CPT mill basis increased by 5%. The review does not contain data on changes in the export price of sunflower seeds.

Export prices for rapeseed remained unchanged over the week. On a CPT port basis, they stood at $520 per metric ton, and on an FCA Chop basis, at $555 per metric ton. The review did not provide data on changes in export prices for sunflower seeds.

Soybean prices at major Ukrainian delivery points remained unchanged. GMO soybeans were priced at $410 per metric ton CPT port, $450 FCA Chop, and $400 CPT mill; non-GMO soybeans were priced at $430 CPT port and $475 FCA Chop.

In August, Ukraine exported 147.1 thousand metric tons of sunflower oil, 110 thousand metric tons of sunflower meal, and 0.7 thousand metric tons of sunflower seeds.

Exports of rapeseed in August totaled 292.6 thousand metric tons, while rapeseed oil exports totaled 95.4 thousand metric tons. Rapeseed accounted for about 75% of the total tonnage of these two items.

During the month, Ukraine also exported 29.1 thousand metric tons of soybeans, 36.6 thousand metric tons of soybean oil, and 77.2 thousand metric tons of soybean meal. Oil and meal accounted for nearly 80% of the total export volume of these three soybean products.

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Global Grain Prices Rose 2.2% in August — FAO

Disruptions in grain supplies from the Black Sea region and hot weather, which worsened harvest forecasts in a number of countries, led to a 2.2% increase in global grain prices in August compared to July. Prices reached their highest level since May 2024, according to the monthly review by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

According to the report, international prices for all major grain crops rose in August. “This was driven by strong demand resulting from deteriorating harvest prospects in key producing regions due to adverse weather conditions, as well as ongoing uncertainty regarding exports from the Black Sea region,” the report states.

Global wheat prices rose by 2.6% in August compared to July, with a year-over-year increase of 15%. Among the reasons, FAO experts also cite “protracted disruptions to exports from the Black Sea region, downward revisions to production forecasts in some European regions experiencing hot and dry weather, and the weakening of the U.S. dollar, which has made export shipments more competitive.”

Corn prices rose by 2.5% compared to July, driven by growing concerns about harvest prospects in some regions of the U.S. Corn Belt and worsening production forecasts in the EU. At the same time, demand from ethanol producers and the animal feed industry remains high.
“Fears regarding food supply following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz provided additional support to corn prices,” the review notes.

Global prices for sorghum and barley rose by 3.9% and 2.6%, respectively, in August compared with July, “which generally reflects a more stable situation in the feed grain markets,” the review states.
Rice prices rose by 0.5% in August. “The rise in prices for Indian rice varieties was driven by factors such as exchange rate fluctuations, purchases by Asian and African countries, and an expected reduction in supplies,” the report states.

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Gasoline and diesel prices in Ukraine may rise by 4.5–5 UAH per liter

Over the next two weeks, domestic prices for gasoline and diesel may rise by 4.5–5 UAH per liter due to a price surge on global markets to levels close to April’s highs; specifically, the price of diesel fuel in London rising above $1,400 per metric ton, according to Serhiy Kuyun, director of the “A-95” consulting group.

“We are expecting domestic prices to rise. Currently, this increase translates to an additional 4.5–5.0 UAH per liter of gasoline and diesel fuel (their current average prices are 80 and 91 UAH per liter, respectively). This could happen within a couple of weeks if current prices stabilize at their current levels,” he wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

According to the expert, on September 1 and 2, some Ukrainian retail chains had already raised prices by 1 UAH per liter.
“There are no fuel availability issues, neither here nor in Europe. Therefore, the issue is solely about price. The much-discussed 100 UAH per liter mark hasn’t been reached yet, but it’s starting to loom on the horizon again,” Kuyun noted.

As reported by “Energoreforma,” fuel prices in Ukraine showed both slight decreases and increases throughout August.
According to “A-95,” as of September 2, the average retail price in Ukraine for A-95 gasoline is 80.7 UAH/liter, and for diesel fuel, 91.31 UAH/liter.

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Sunflower seed prices in Ukraine rose by $20 per metric ton over week

The price of sunflower seed in Ukraine rose by $20 over the week—to $460 per metric ton, including VAT, on a CPT mill basis, according to a weekly market review by the brokerage firm Spike Brokers.

According to the brokers, Ukrainian oilseeds showed varying trends that week depending on the sales destination. The price of sunflower seeds on a CPT mill basis rose from $440 to $460 per metric ton, while rapeseed on an FCA Chop basis rose from $550 to $555 per metric ton; however, on a CPT mill basis, rapeseed prices fell from $485 to $480 per metric ton.

“The western export channel commands a higher premium, while port and domestic processing parities remain at a discount,” the review notes.

From August 1–27, sunflower oil exports fell by 42.5% compared to the same period in July—to 131.3 thousand metric tons from 228.4 thousand metric tons. Ukraine exported almost no sunflower seeds—0.6 thousand metric tons compared to 2.6 thousand metric tons a month ago. At the same time, overseas sales of sunflower meal increased by 28%—to 83.1 thousand metric tons from 64.9 thousand metric tons.

During this period, Ukraine exported 255,2 thousand metric tons of rapeseed, compared to 11,8 thousand metric tons during the corresponding period in July, marking a 21.6-fold increase. Rapeseed oil exports rose 4.6-fold—to 69,4 thousand metric tons from 15,2 thousand metric tons, respectively. The main buyers of rapeseed were Germany (109.2 thousand metric tons), the Netherlands (84.3 thousand metric tons), and the Czech Republic (25.1 thousand metric tons), which accounted for about 86% of August’s exports of this product.

Soybean exports from August 1–27 fell by 55.6% to 27.1 thousand metric tons. Soybean oil exports totaled 33.3 thousand metric tons, down 11% from the same period in July, while soybean meal exports totaled 70.7 thousand metric tons (-28.9%). Total exports of soybeans, soybean oil, and soybean meal amounted to 131.1 thousand metric tons, compared to 197.8 thousand metric tons during the same period in July, a decrease of 34%.

For GMO soybeans, the price on a CPT port basis fell from $420 to $410 per metric ton, and on a CPT mill basis from $425 to $400, while the FCA Chop price rose from $435 to $450 per metric ton. In the non-GMO soybean segment, the CPT port price fell from $440 to $430 per metric ton, while the FCA Chop price rose from $470 to $475.

According to Spike Brokers, the price differential between western and other destinations for oilseeds continues to widen. Specifically, the spread between FCA Chop and CPT mill for GMO soybeans widened from $10 to $50 per metric ton over the week, while the difference between FCA Chop and CPT port for non-GMO soybeans increased from $30 to $45 per metric ton.

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Ukrainian wheat exports fell by nearly 50% in August

The price of food-grade wheat in Ukraine fell by $10 over the week—to $185 per metric ton on a CPT Odessa basis—while feed-grade wheat also dropped by $10, to $175 per metric ton, according to a weekly market review by the brokerage firm Spike Brokers.

“The global grain market ended the week with a further rise, but this trend did not carry over to Ukrainian basis prices,” the review noted.

Wheat exports from Ukraine during August 1–27 fell by half (-49.8%) compared to the same period last month—to 486,600 metric tons from 969,400 metric tons. The main destinations were Bangladesh—251,000 metric tons, Indonesia—243,500 metric tons, and Algeria—226,300 metric tons. These three countries accounted for about 74% of total exports of this product. Saudi Arabia and Yemen followed in terms of volume, with approximately 54,500 metric tons each.

The price of corn on a CPT Odessa basis fell by $5 to $185 per metric ton, while on an FCA Chop basis, it rose by $5 to $225 per metric ton.
Corn exports from August 1–27 totaled 190.7 thousand metric tons, which is 84.3% less than during the same period in July.

According to Spike Brokers, trading in next year’s corn crop is already active along the western border. During the week, October–December quotes on an FCA Zahony–Chop–Batyovo basis ranged from EUR188 to EUR191 per metric ton.
Brokers note that this trade route faces physical constraints on both sides of the border, particularly due to transshipment capacity in Ukraine and the EU, the availability of rail logistics, and the fleet of Euro-standard railcars.

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