Ukraine continues agricultural exports despite limited logistics and keeps domestic market supplied with food

Since the start of October, Ukraine has exported 1.125 million tonnes of agricultural products, about 50% of the expected volume for this period. Despite limited logistics capacity, the agricultural sector continues to supply the domestic market with food. This was reported by Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi.

According to him, Ukrainian logistics is currently working at the limit of its physical capacity, so no significant increase in shipments is expected in the near term. With transport routes constrained, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy supports prioritising exports of value-added products.

Exports of the main product categories were:

• grains: 670,000 tonnes;

• oilseeds: 184,000 tonnes;

• sunflower oil: 138,000 tonnes;

• oilseed meal: 132,000 tonnes.

At the same time, despite the logistics difficulties, the domestic food market continues to function.

"A range of vegetables remains available in retail chains, and traditional sales channels, including supermarkets, markets and street trade, continue to operate. There is no long-term food shortage. Existing sales channels keep working, and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy maintains constant contact with retail representatives," Taras Vysotskyi stressed.

He said that if supply problems arise for individual products, the Ministry is ready to step up coordination between retail chains, producers and industry associations to align market needs with supply volumes.

Taras Vysotskyi also noted that Ukraine's agricultural sector has a diverse structure. The vast majority of farmland, about 70%, is cultivated by small and medium-sized enterprises with up to 5,000 hectares. Enterprises with more than 5,000 hectares account for about 20% of the land.