Ukrainian steelmakers reduced steel production by 12.5% in January–August of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 4.3 million metric tons.
According to data from the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association, 277,000 metric tons of steel were produced in August, 457,000 metric tons in July, 690,800 metric tons in June, 629,400 metric tons in May, in April—517,300 metric tons, in March—702,300 metric tons, in February—515,000 metric tons, and in January—511,100 metric tons.
In 2025, Ukraine’s steel companies reduced steel production by 2.2% compared to 2024—to 7.409 million metric tons.
In 2024, Ukraine increased steel production by 21.6% compared to 2023—to 7.575 million metric tons. In 2023, steel production fell by 0.6% to 6.228 million metric tons, and in 2022, it fell by 70.7% to 6.263 million metric tons.
In 2021, before the war, 21.366 million metric tons of steel were produced, or 103.6% of the 2020 level.
Ukrainian farmers have begun harvesting late-season oilseeds, and as of September 8, 89.3 thousand metric tons of sunflower seeds have been harvested from the first 56 thousand hectares—representing 1% of the projected area—with an average yield of 15.9 centners per hectare.
A total of 79.9 thousand metric tons of soybeans have been harvested from 45.3 thousand hectares (3% of the forecast) at a yield of 17.6 centners per hectare, according to the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
As of September 8, farmers across all regions had threshed 6.85 million hectares, or 59% of the projected area. The gross harvest of grain and legume crops reached 32.2 million metric tons, with an average yield of 47 ts/ha.
Farmers have nearly completed the wheat harvest and have fully finished harvesting barley and peas. Specifically, 24.91 million metric tons of wheat were harvested from an area of 5.04 million hectares (98% of the target) with an average yield of 49.4 centners per hectare.
The barley harvest is 100% complete across the entire area, or 1.48 million hectares. The gross harvest amounts to 6.4 million metric tons, with a yield of 43.4 tsentners per hectare.
The pea harvest is also complete—795.2 thousand metric tons were harvested from 298.2 thousand hectares, with a yield of 26.7 tsentners per hectare.
Millet yields totaled 34,000 metric tons, with 14,500 hectares (35% of the area) threshed at a yield of 23.4 centners per hectare. Buckwheat yields totaled 10,900 metric tons from 7,700 hectares (16% of the area) at a yield of 14.2 centners per hectare. The first 43.2 thousand metric tons of corn were harvested from 12.1 thousand hectares, with a yield of 35.9 centners per hectare.
Farmers in the southern and central regions lead in terms of gross grain harvest volumes.
In the Odesa region, a total of 4.82 million metric tons of grain was harvested from an area of 1.19 million hectares. Specifically, 3.22 million metric tons of wheat, 1.31 million metric tons of barley, and 284,900 metric tons of peas.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, 2.69 million metric tons of grain were harvested from 650,600 hectares. This included 2.04 million metric tons of wheat, 574,600 metric tons of barley, and 37,000 metric tons of peas.
The Kirovohrad region harvested 2.42 million metric tons of grain from an area of 559,000 hectares. The harvest included 1.92 million metric tons of wheat, 412,500 metric tons of barley, and 82,000 metric tons of peas.
The highest yields were recorded in the Khmelnytskyi region—70.8 ts/ha, the Sumy region—59.7 ts/ha, and the Vinnytsia region—59.6 ts/ha.
The rapeseed harvest is complete, with a total volume of 3.8286 million metric tons.
The OKKO network remains the largest importer of automotive gasoline into Ukraine: in August 2026, the company imported 46,100 metric tons of fuel, and 302,000 metric tons since the beginning of the year, according to data from the A-95 Consulting Group. OKKO accounts for about 27% of all Ukrainian gasoline imports since the beginning of the year.
The next group of largest suppliers consists of WOG, UPG, and “Ukrnafta.”
In August, WOG imported 20,200 metric tons of gasoline, UPG—20,000 metric tons, and “Ukrnafta” imported 19,400 metric tons.
Next are “BRSM-Nafta” with 7,000 metric tons, Amic with 3,400 metric tons, and “Avantage” with 3,100 metric tons.
Gaztrim and KLO each imported 2,400 metric tons, and Bars 2000 imported 2,200 metric tons.
Other market participants accounted for 26,100 metric tons.
In total, Ukraine imported 152,000 metric tons of motor gasoline in August.
The largest countries of origin for the fuel were Lithuania—51,800 metric tons—and Poland—40,100 metric tons. The ORLEN Group supplied more than half of August’s imports.
The rise in artisanal gasoline production within Ukraine was one of the factors behind the decline in official fuel imports in August 2026, according to the A-95 Consulting Group.
According to the group, imports of automotive gasoline in August totaled 152,000 metric tons, which is 7% less than a year earlier.
“In August, gasoline shipments were lower due to large carryover stocks and the growth of domestic illicit production, driven by the ability to add tax-exempt solvents,” A-95 reported.
Experts believe that government agencies—primarily the State Tax Service—need to strengthen oversight of this sector.
“This is not only a matter of losses to the state budget but also of the questionable quality of such fuel,” the group emphasized.
The use of components not subject to excise tax as motor fuel potentially allows producers to lower the cost of gasoline blends and gain an advantage over legal market participants who pay fuel taxes in full.
At the same time, there was no overall gasoline shortage on the Ukrainian market in August. Since the beginning of 2026, official import volumes have remained higher than last year’s: 1.12 million metric tons of gasoline were imported over eight months, which is 16% more than a year earlier.
The largest importers remain OKKO, WOG, UPG, and Ukrnafta, while the main supplier countries are Lithuania and Poland.
EXCISE TAX, FUEL, GASOLINE, TAX, UKRAINE
In January–August 2026, Ukraine imported 1.12 million metric tons of automotive gasoline, which is 16% more than during the same period in 2025, according to the A-95 Consulting Group, based on the results of a special market study.
However, gasoline imports in August alone totaled 152,000 metric tons, which is 7% less than in August of last year.
Lithuania and Poland remain the main suppliers of gasoline to Ukraine. In August, 51,800 metric tons of fuel were imported from Lithuania, accounting for 34% of total imports, and 40,100 metric tons from Poland, accounting for 26%.
Thus, the combined share of the two countries reached 60%, compared to 55% a year earlier.
The ORLEN Group, which owns oil refineries in Lithuania and Poland, remains the largest source of imported gasoline. In August, the group’s enterprises shipped 78.8 thousand metric tons of gasoline to Ukraine, accounting for 52% of all imports for the month.
Imports from Germany fell by 13% in August, to 18,200 metric tons. Of this volume, 11,200 metric tons, or 61.5%, came from the UPG network.
A-95 notes that the decline in August shipments is linked, in particular, to high carryover fuel stocks accumulated earlier.
After losing a significant portion of its domestic refining capacity as a result of the full-scale war, the Ukrainian petroleum products market remains heavily dependent on imports from EU countries. The bulk of gasoline and diesel fuel arrives via western and southern routes.
According to Experts.news, the structure of Ukraine’s dairy exports has changed significantly over the past year: the share of butter and other milk fats in foreign exchange earnings has more than halved, while dry and condensed milk have become the largest export category, according to an analysis by the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (UDEU).
In August 2025, butter and other milk fats under commodity code 0405 accounted for 36% of the value of Ukraine’s dairy exports, whereas in August 2026, their share fell to 15%. At the same time, the share of dry and condensed milk increased from 24% to 37%, and that of whey from 5% to 11%.
The change in structure occurred gradually. Butter accounted for 36% in August 2025, falling to 25% in October, to 22% in March 2026, and to 15% in August. At the same time, the share of dry and condensed milk rose from 24% to 24%, then to 35% and 37%, respectively. Thus, the shift in the structure of Ukrainian dairy exports occurred primarily between the fall of 2025 and the spring of 2026.
According to the SMPU’s assessment, one of the factors was the situation on the global market for milk fats. Butter prices were under pressure, and the Global Dairy Trade index fell for nine consecutive auctions at the end of 2025. Since the export structure is calculated in value terms, the decline in butter’s share is linked not only to physical shipment volumes but also to changes in global prices.
At the same time, experts cite the growing role of whey as the most notable structural change. Its share of export revenue more than doubled over the year. By August 2026, dry milk, condensed milk, and whey together accounted for 48% of the value of Ukraine’s dairy exports.
The share of cheeses—which are considered higher-value-added products with potentially higher profit margins—remained virtually unchanged, at about 24% in August 2025 and 25% a year later. Thus, the structure of Ukraine’s dairy exports is shifting increasingly toward commodities and raw materials.
This trend is unfolding against the backdrop of a general deterioration in the dairy industry’s trade balance. According to data published by the Ukrainian Dairy Producers Association (SMPU) on September 2, Ukraine exported $176.9 million worth of dairy products in January–August 2026, which is 20.5% less than during the same period last year. At the same time, imports increased by 24.7% to $247.2 million.
In volume terms, butter exports fell by roughly half over the eight-month period, while shipments of dry milk and condensed milk decreased by 7%. At the same time, exports of fermented milk products rose by 28%, milk whey by 1.1%, and cheese by 0.9%.
As a result, Ukraine shifted from a trade surplus in dairy products to a trade deficit. For January–August 2026, the deficit totaled $70.3 million, whereas a year earlier the surplus had reached $24.1 million. The export-to-import ratio fell from 1.12 to 0.72.
On the import side, cheese remains the largest category, although its share in August fell year-over-year from 82.3% to 76.9%. At the same time, the share of imported milk and cream, whey, and butter increased, intensifying competition for Ukrainian processors in the domestic market.
The Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (SMPU) brings together Ukrainian milk producers and processors and represents the interests of companies in the industry. The organization was founded in 2001.
Original source: analysis by the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine on Ua Dairy
