Grain market in Ukraine - statistics & facts
Ukraine lists among the world’s leading producers and exporters of wheat, corn, and vegetable oils. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the country's production of all grains declined significantly in the marketing year 2022/23, having contributed to the decrease in global grain production.
Ukraine's grain production figures are some of the highest in the world. However, the output has decreased due to the damage caused by the Russian invasion. Furthermore, the suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has hindered export shipments of cereals and other agricultural foods from the country.
Main crops produced in Ukraine
Ukraine harvested almost 60 million metric tons of grain and leguminous crops, a category that constituted the most significant portion of the country’s agricultural crop production, in 2023. Corn, wheat, and barley were the most produced grain types. In the marketing year 2024/25, Ukraine was expected to produce 27 million metric tons of corn and 21 million metric tons of wheat, less than in the previous 12-month period. In 2023, the country exported corn worth approximately five billion U.S. dollars, which was 17 percent less than in the previous year.What is the Black Sea Grain Initiative?
The invasion led to a halt of grain shipments from Ukraine via the Black Sea. In July 2022, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations (UN) signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement that enabled safe navigation with the purpose of grain and other related foodstuffs transportation from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuzhne. The largest share of Ukrainian agricultural exports secured by the initiative went to China, Spain, and Turkey. Corn and wheat constituted about 80 percent of the products exported, with wheat being mainly supplied to developing countries. In July 2023, the Russian government suspended its participation in the deal. Since then, Ukraine has been using alternative shipment routes, such as via its Black Sea and Danube ports.Ukraine and the EU agricultural market
Prior to 2022, the major export destinations of Ukrainian grain were in Asia and North Africa. During the war, the export flow changed its direction to Europe. The European Commission suspended import duties on Ukrainian agri-foods in the European Union (EU) to support the Ukrainian economy; however, the grain glut resulted in dissatisfaction among local farmers, and in 2024, export caps were introduced for several sensitive product categories. In Poland, one-third of the population approved of duty-free imports from Ukraine.Ukraine's grain production figures are some of the highest in the world. However, the output has decreased due to the damage caused by the Russian invasion. Furthermore, the suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has hindered export shipments of cereals and other agricultural foods from the country.
