Press service of Institute of Agrarian Economics (IAE) reported, that exports of agricultural products in 2016 from Ukraine in value terms grew in all major regions except CIS countries
According to Nikolai Pugachev – the Deputy Director of IAE, the geographical structure of Ukrainian exports remained unchanged for the last several years. More than 95% of the deliveries value in 2016 involved four main regions – the European Union, Asia, Africa and the CIS.
Thus, in 2016 Asia strengthened its position as the main importer of Ukrainian agricultural products. Value of Ukrainian exports to the countries of the region in the past year increased to $7.1 billion. As a result, the share of Asian countries increased from 45.1% in 2015 to 45.8% of the total export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
The share of the EU countries in the Ukrainian export amounted to about one-third (27.1%) of the total share – to $ 4.2 billion, which is 1.6% more than in 2015.
African countries in 2016 increased the volume of imports of Ukrainian agro-food products by 20.8% (to $ 2.4 billion), which is 15.5% of total Ukrainian exports of agricultural products.
It is noted that the downward trend in the Ukrainian agricultural exports to the CIS countries has been going on the last year as well. Value of supplies of agricultural products to the CIS countries decreased by 21.4% compared to 2015 and amounted $1.2 billion in 2016. According to IAE scientists, the continued exports decline to the CIS is due to mutual trade restrictions between Ukraine and Russia, which will last at least until the end of 2017.
“It is interesting that in 2016 volumes of agro-food supply to Australia and Oceania region increased almost 2.5 times – up to $5.3 million”, – said Nikolai Pugachev.
It also reported that India, which in 2015 lost the first place in terms of purchases of Ukrainian agricultural products to China, regained the lead in the ranking of the largest importers of Ukrainian agricultural products in 2016. Value of Ukrainian agricultural supply in the country increased by 45.4% as compared to 2015 and amounted $ 1.58 billion in 2016. At the same time, India”s share in the Ukrainian agro-food exports increased from 7.4% in 2015 to 10.2 % in 2016.
According to the results of 2016, Egypt, with a share of 8.4%, moved from the third to the second place in ranking of the main importers of Ukrainian agricultural products. Value of exports to Egypt increased and amounted $ 1.328 billion, e.g. +29.4% in comparison with the indicators of 2015.
China moved to the third place while last year it accounted for 6.6% of the total exports of Ukrainian agricultural products ($1.026 billion).
It is followed by Spain ($ 828 million), The Netherlands ($ 708 million), Iran ($ 678 million), Italy ($626 million), Turkey ($609 million) and Poland ($ 506 million).
“Ukraine has consolidated its position in these markets in 2016, whereas the total share of these countries in the Ukrainian export exceeds 51%”, – said Nikolay Pugachev.
According to the expert, such countries significantly increased the volume of purchases of Ukrainian agricultural products: Indonesia ($339 million), Bangladesh ($318 million) and Germany ($245 million.) securing a place in such a way into the TOP-20 of the main importers of Ukrainian agricultural products.
“The key positions of Ukrainian exports in 2016 traditionally constituted of cereals, oilseed crops, oils and products of processing industry and total value amounted to about 90% of the agri-food exports” – noted by the expert.
According to him, a new record for the export of grain crops was set last year – 40.2 MMT. Foreign shipments totaled: wheat – 17.9 MMT, maize – 17.3 MMT, barley – 4.8 MMT. In addition, significant amounts of soy exports – 2.7 MMT; rape – 1.0 MMT; sunflower oil – 4.8 MMT, as well as cake – 4.4 MMT were.
“It is worth adding that, compared to 2015, exports of honey increased significantly – from 36 KMT to 57 KMT; leguminous vegetables (peas, beans) – from 208 KMT to 381 KMT; sugar – from 115 KMT to 466 KMT”, – concluded Nikolai Pugachev.
