In 2023, Germany became the largest importer of Ukrainian oilseeds, while Romania became the largest importer of oils.
This is announced by the National Scientific Center "Institute of Agrarian Economics" with reference to the information of the State Customs Service, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
Thus, in 2023, the value of the export of seeds and fruits of oil crops amounted to USD 2.8 billion, which is 25% less than in 2022.
"Quantitative volumes of deliveries of the main product items of this group to foreign markets overall decreased not so significantly. The export of rapeseed in natural terms decreased from 3.1 million tons in 2022 to 3 million tons in 2023, while soybeans, on the contrary, increased by 1.5 million tons - to an indicator of 3.5 million tons. The most noticeable was the decrease in sunflower exports - from 2.8 million tons in 2022 to 0.8 million tons in 2023," said deputy director of the institute, Mykola Puhachov.
According to him, the main buyers of Ukrainian oil crops and oil in 2023, as in previous years, are mainly European countries, as well as representatives of Asia.
"A characteristic feature of 2023 was the strengthening of the position of the European Union in the markets for the sale of fruits and seeds of domestic oil crops. Last year, the countries of this region made about 70% of the value of purchases of all oil crops from Ukraine," Puhachov noted.
According to him, Germany, which in 2022 ceded the first place to Romania, regained its leading position, occupying 16.2% of Ukrainian exports of this type of agricultural products.
Romania with a share of 14.7% moved to second place, pushing Turkey (13.4%) to the third place of the rating.
At the same time, Egypt, which in 2022 was not among the top 10 main buyers of domestic oil crops, took fourth place (11.0%).
The share of the Netherlands in this rating was 7.7% last year, and Poland - 5%.
In total, these six countries brought Ukraine 68% of export revenues from all foreign supplies of oil.
In addition, in 2023, the export of soybean oil increased by 26% to 298,000 tons, as well as rapeseed oil - by 476% to 379,000 tons.
"In the group of oils and fats, sunflowerseed oil remains the key product for export. In 2023, its export from Ukraine amounted to 5.7 million tons - 34% more than in 2022. Revenues from the sale of sunflowerseed oil amounted to USD 5 billion, i.e. 8% less than in the previous year," Puhachov said.
According to him, in 2023 there were changes in the rating of the main buyers of the oil group, for the first time it was led by Romania with a share of 17.7%.
The second place was also taken by Turkey for the first time (15.0%), to which a significant share of foreign supplies of this type of agricultural products was exported last year.
China took third place in the ranking with a share of 11.1%.
At the same time, Poland, which in 2022 headed the top 10 main buyers of Ukrainian oil for the first time, took fourth place last year - 10.9%, the share of the Netherlands was 6.6%.
India, which in 2022 for the first time in more than 10 years did not retain the leading position among importers of this type of agricultural products, bought 6.0% of oil last year.
According to Puhachov, collectively these countries accumulate 2/3 of the value of Ukrainian oil supplies to foreign markets.
"Last year, a significant increase in the export of various oils in natural terms was accompanied by a decrease in the revenues of our profile companies in this segment. As in the case of grains, there was a global decrease in prices for vegetable oils, which became the largest among all food groups included in the Price Index FAO, reaching 33% by 2023," he concluded.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in 2023, the largest importers of Ukrainian grain became Spain, China and Romania, together these countries formed about 44% of the value volume of all purchases of grain products in Ukraine.
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