Taras Vysotskyi calls on the EU to support Ukrainian agricultural exports at AGRIFISH in Brussels

Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Taras Vysotskyi, called on EU member states to support the uninterrupted export of Ukrainian agricultural products and consider a temporary mechanism for partially compensating extraordinary logistics costs. He made the appeal during a meeting of the EU's Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Brussels. According to him, restrictions on the operation of the Greater Odesa ports are already affecting agricultural producers' incomes and creating risks for the 2027 sowing campaign.

"This season, Ukraine is expected to export around 64 million tonnes of agricultural products. In September, actual exports totalled just 2.2 million tonnes. If the current restrictions continue, more than 30 million tonnes of produce could remain unexported by the end of the season. Potential losses in revenue for Ukrainian farmers could exceed USD 10 billion. This is no longer just an export problem — it's a liquidity problem for farmers, and one that could ultimately become a problem for production itself," said Taras Vysotskyi.

The Minister noted that the agri-food sector accounts for 17.5% of Ukraine's GDP, nearly 56% of export revenues, and around 20% of employment. Together with the EU and neighbouring countries, Ukraine has already adapted its export logistics through the Solidarity Lanes, the Danube route, and rail and road transport.

At the same time, sea transport remains the backbone of Ukrainian agricultural exports. It accounted for 84% of export logistics in 2025 and around 80% in 2026. The restrictions on the operation of the Greater Odesa ports, in place since 21 July, are affecting the entire agricultural economy.

According to Taras Vysotskyi, the price of Class 3 wheat received by producers fell by almost 30% in just two months, standing at around EUR 117 per tonne in August. This directly affects agricultural producers' ability to finance their next production cycle.

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food's estimates, winter crop sowing areas for 2027 could shrink, and some farms that sowed winter crops last year may not be able to sow this year.

Taras Vysotskyi also stressed the need to support the development of additional alternative export routes. Current additional logistics costs, compared to those already incurred under the Solidarity Lanes, stand at around EUR 50 per tonne. In light of this, Ukraine is proposing that the EU consider allocating EUR 1.1 billion to secure additional capacity along longer Solidarity Lanes routes — for example, via Germany and other directions. Such support would make it possible to export significant additional volumes of Ukrainian agricultural products despite the restrictions on maritime port operations.

In this connection, Ukraine has proposed that the EU consider the possibility of a temporary partial compensation mechanism for extraordinary logistics costs for the period during which maritime ports remain restricted.