Ukrainian oilseed exports in 2022-’23 up on previous year despite war

Exports of oilseeds grown in Ukraine increased despite the war that has been going on since February 2022 and the associated restrictions.

Ukraine maintained its global position as main producer of sunflower seed in the 2022-’23 season.

Although the 12.2-million-metric-ton harvest was 5.3 million tons smaller than that of the previous season, Ukraine remained the world’s second most important producer after Russia and ahead of the EU.

At the same time, the share of commodity exports increased considerably in the year-on-year comparison.

Between last September and this May, most exports were destined for the EU (79 percent), because access to the world market was limited due to the fragile grain deal.

Despite the challenging conditions, around 2 million tons of sunflower seed were still exported, slightly more than in the previous season.

The Ukrainian APK-Inform analytical agency has estimated that soybean exports in 2022-’23 amounted to around 3 million tons, which compares to 1.4 million tons the previous marketing year.

Above all, exports to the EU and Turkey multiplied.

Ukrainian rapeseed exports in the 2022-’23 marketing year are seen to have reached 3.4 to 3.6 million tons.

This would be both a significant increase on the previous year’s level of 2.7 million tons and a record volume.

The most important destination was the EU, receiving just less than 3 million tons, with rapeseed imports from Ukraine accounting for just under 41 percent of total imports.

APK-Inform has ambitiously projected exports for the coming marketing year 2023-’24 at the level of the past marketing year, although implications of the war, especially the impact of Russian attacks on storage and loading facilities, can hardly be predicted at present.