Trade in agricultural products between Ukraine and EU declined last year after record high in 2024
In 2025, the foreign trade turnover of agricultural and food industry products between Ukraine and the European Union decreased by 9% compared to the record level of 2024, totalling USD 15.7 billion. The decline was driven by a reduction in exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to EU countries, said Mykola Puhachov, Deputy Director of the National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics” and academician of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS).
According to him, despite the decrease in trade turnover, the foreign trade balance remained positive for Ukraine, although it narrowed to USD 5.9 billion.
Ukraine’s main trading partners within the EU in 2025 were Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, Romania and Belgium. These countries accounted for approximately 80% of Ukraine’s total agri-food trade turnover with the European Union.
At the same time, imports of agricultural products from the EU increased. In 2025, Ukraine imported food products worth USD 4.9 billion, nearly 15% more than in the previous year.
The largest import groups:
- alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages — USD 514 million;
- various food products, extracts and concentrates — USD 429 million;
- animal feed, residues and waste — USD 397 million;
- cocoa and chocolate products — USD 394 million;
- tobacco products — USD 384 million.
Dairy products also accounted for a significant share of imports, totalling USD 324 million, which is 17% higher than in 2024. Cheese remained the main category within this group, with imports amounting to USD 270 million.
In addition, imports of prepared grain products reached USD 304 million. Altogether, these product groups accounted for 56% of the total value of food imports from the European Union.
According to forecasts by the Institute of Agrarian Economics, EU countries will continue to maintain leading positions in the structure of Ukraine’s food imports in 2026.