During the first quarter of 2026, Ukraine’s agricultural exports reached 15.5 million tons, generating $6.3 billion in foreign currency earnings. Agricultural products now account for 62% of total Ukrainian exports. This data was reported by Dengi.ua with reference to the Ministry of Economy’s press service.
The quarter's defining trend was a 1.2% year-on-year increase in supply volume paired with a much larger 8.3% ($482 million) surge in export revenue. Given that the FAO food price index rose by only 1%, this indicates a successful shift toward products with higher added value.
"We see a clear trend: Ukraine is gradually moving away from the raw material export model and increasing the supply of processed products. This makes it possible to receive more foreign exchange earnings even with stable volumes. Our task is to consolidate this trend through the development of processing and expanding access to foreign markets," emphasized Deputy Economy Minister Taras Vysotskyy.
The geography of exports remains stable: EU countries provided 49% of supplies, MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) - 20%, Turkey - 12%, other countries - 18%. At the same time, Turkey significantly strengthened its positions: its share increased from 9% to 12%, and the volume of exports in monetary terms increased by $242 mln.
The export structure remains highly concentrated, with the top five commodity categories accounting for 68% of revenue and the top ten for 81%. Corn, sunflower oil, and wheat continue to lead the market. Corn saw growth in both physical (+18%) and monetary (+17%) terms, fueled by strong demand from Turkey. Sunflower oil recorded a 20% revenue increase despite a minimal 3% growth in volume.
Conversely, wheat exports declined by 35%, largely due to a record harvest within the EU; exports to Europe plummeted by 82%. However, a monthly recovery is underway, with exports rising from 536,000 tons in January to 869,000 tons in March (+62%).
There is also a transformation of oilseed exports. Due to the stimulation of domestic processing, the export of raw materials is decreasing and the share of processed products is increasing. In particular, in the soybean segment, it was the processed products (oilcake and oil) that showed less reduction than raw beans. In the rapeseed segment, the changes are even more significant: rapeseed oil exports increased more than 30 times compared to the same period last year.
The Ministry of Economy emphasized that these first-quarter results signify a qualitative shift in Ukraine's strategy, moving from bulk raw material exports to products with higher added value.