Last year Ukraine exported agro-food products for the total sum of $23.4 billion, that is 16% less as compared to 2021.
According to an analysis by the Ukrainian Agrarian Export Association (UAEA), the figure was the second-largest since the country’s independence, despite the ongoing full-scale war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine in February 2022.
“The key issue for exporters in 2022 was to adapt to ensure all the necessary processes in the completely changed realities of the country’s agricultural sector. For value-added products, the situation managed to stabilize and keep under control, and some positions even showed growth,” the association specified in the document.
According to the Association, last year the total revenue from the export of meat and dairy products, potatoes, frozen vegetables increased, but the income of exporters decreased for the majority of varieties of fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, processed grains and confectionery products. Meanwhile, export prices for Ukrainian goods, including honey and eggs, continued to rise.
UAEA specified that in 2022 Ukraine exported meat and by-products for $925 million (+9% in 2021), including poultry meat for $853 million (+19%), frozen beef for $69 million (-40%), ready and canned meat products for $21.8 million (2-fold growth) and sausages for $2.9 million (-58%). An important event of the last year was the reduction of quantitative volumes of exported poultry meat due to the war by 10%, to 413 thousand tons.
In turn, proceeds from the export of dairy products reached $251 million (+41% by 2021), including milk powder and condensed milk – $90 million (+57%), butter and milk paste – $82 million (+56%), cheese – $42 million (+58%), non-condensed milk and cream – $16 million (+58%), whey – $15 million (-31%). Ukrainian exports of ice cream exceeded $19 million (+5%), having decreased in real terms by 8%, to 6.9 thousand tons.
In addition, in 2022 exported 27 thousand tons of eggs (-32% to 2021) for $42 million (-7%) and 48 thousand tons of honey (-17%) for $137 million (-5%).
The UAE also noted a decrease in exports of all commodity items of fruits and vegetables, except for potatoes and frozen vegetables. Thus, 0.9 thousand tons of cucumbers (-82% vs. 2021) were sold abroad for $1.6 million (-72%), 1 thousand tons of cabbage for $0.9 million (-64%), 0.3 thousand tons of tomatoes (-94%). tons of tomatoes (-94%) by $0.8 million (-84%), 0.4 thousand tons of onions and garlic (-98%) by $0.3 million (-94%), 0.3 thousand tons of carrots and other root crops (-98%) by 0.2 million (-94%). At the same time, there was an increase in export sales of potatoes – up to 29.7 thousand tons (+56%) at $4.4 million (+14%) and frozen vegetables – 8.7 thousand tons (+3%) at $11 million (+15%).
Export of canned tomatoes also decreased more than three times – to 15 thousand tons, bringing $16 million in revenues. Prepared unfrozen vegetables were sold abroad for $9.7 million (-32%) in the amount of 4 thousand tons (-37%).
The organization estimated that the proceeds from the export of fruits, berries and nuts by the end of 2022 was $313 million (-15% to 2021), including the sale of 84 thousand tons of frozen fruits, berries and nuts. tons of frozen berries and fruits (+11%) for $192 million (-11%), 25 thousand tons of walnuts (-28%) for $80 million (-30%), 46 thousand tons of apples and pears (+56%) for $19 million (+28%), 4 thousand tons of berry crops for $14 million (+12%).
Export of jam, jelly and marmalade by Ukraine in monetary and physical terms remained at the level of 2012: over $ 7 million with the delivery of more than 2 thousand tons. The value of export of canned fruit and berry products decreased to $10 million (-48%), along with a decrease in sales – 3.8 thousand tons (-58%).
uaAE specified that Ukraine in 2022 exported 75 thousand tons of wheat flour (-29% in 2021) for about $24 million (-35%). The situation with sales abroad of pasta also worsened – down to 18 thousand tons (-54%), sold for $40 million (-45%).
“Sales of confectionery sugar products to foreign markets decreased to $139 million (-32%) for 70 thousand tons (-31%). Exports of cocoa products and chocolate amounted to $147 million (-34%) in the amount of 46 thousand tons (-35%). There was also a decrease in foreign sales of bakery confectionery – to 69 thousand tons (-39%) worth $152 million (- 40%),” summed up the association.
