Agricultural products continue to be the backbone of Ukraine’s exports, while their geographic structure is gradually diversifying. This was stated in an interview by Taras Vysotskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, ProAgro Group reports.

According to him, Ukraine’s total agricultural exports amounted to $22.6 billion in 2025, accounting for about 56% of the country’s total exports. The European Union remains Ukraine’s largest trading partner in the agricultural sector, although its share is gradually declining.

“The EU remains a key partner, but the export geography is becoming more balanced. While the EU’s share of agricultural exports stood at 52.1% in 2024, it decreased to 47.5% in 2025. This indicates the growing role of markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East,” Taras Vysotskyi noted.

One of the factors behind the shift in export structure was the return to quota-based trade with the EU in June 2025, a regime that will remain in place in 2026. As a result, agricultural exports to the EU fell by $2.1 billion in 2025 compared to 2024. Market factors such as prices and demand also influenced export dynamics.

In particular, foreign currency revenues from corn exports declined by 40%, despite the fact that corn can be exported to the EU without quota restrictions.

At the same time, Ukraine is expanding its presence in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. Key destinations include India, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, as well as countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia. These markets operate under different economic conditions compared to the EU, with less stringent requirements but greater price volatility.

This diversification is clearly reflected in the regional breakdown of exports. In 2025, Ukraine’s agricultural exports amounted to $10.7 billion to the EU, $4.4 billion to the Middle East, $2.8 billion to Africa, and $1.7 billion to Southeast Asia. The largest individual markets remain Egypt, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, and Turkey.

Earlier, ProAgro Group reported on the potential consequences for Ukrainian corn and wheat exports to the EU following the signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur.

Source: RBC-Ukraine