Ukraine’s walnut exports in 2025 fell by 90% compared to the average level of the previous five years, totaling just $9.2 million, according to Ukrainian Walnut Association President Hennadii Yudin, ProAgro Group reports.
He attributes the sharp decline primarily to the export security regime introduced in December 2024, which effectively blocked official shipments.
“This measure effectively stopped exports through official channels: shipments of shelled walnuts in 2025 fell by 97%, while in-shell walnut exports dropped by 76%,” Yudin said.
Despite sufficient harvest volumes and favorable logistics, Ukraine is rapidly losing its status as one of the world’s leading walnut exporters, he noted. While in 2020–2024 the country exported walnuts worth more than $92 million annually on average, in 2025 — against the backdrop of record EU walnut imports exceeding €1 billion — Ukraine’s share shrank to just €6.8 million.
Ukraine has also nearly lost the Georgian market, where it previously ranked among the top three suppliers. In 2025, imports of Ukrainian walnuts to Georgia virtually ceased.
“While global demand continues to grow — EU consumption alone has increased by 75% over the past decade — the Ukrainian walnut sector is becoming unprofitable,” Yudin stressed.
The association is urging urgent changes to regulations governing primary documentation for walnuts harvested by households. More than 90% of Ukraine’s total walnut output comes from household plots, shelterbelts and field plantings, and the lack of a transparent legalization mechanism creates critical barriers for legal exporters.
As reported earlier, Ukraine’s total agricultural exports reached $22.6 billion in 2025, accounting for around 56% of the country’s total exports. The European Union remains Ukraine’s largest agri-food trading partner, although its share has been gradually declining.
