In 2021, the share of agri-food products in Ukraine's total exports decreased from 45% in 2020 to 41%, while maintaining leadership in its product structure, said Deputy Director of the NSC "Institute of Agrarian Economics" Academician of NAAS Mykola Pugachev.
According to him, a characteristic feature of the last year for the domestic agricultural sector of the economy was a number of records for the volume of supplies of agricultural products to foreign markets.
According to the results of the calendar year 2021, the largest exports of wheat in the history of Ukraine were recorded - 20071 thousand tons, poultry meat - 459 thousand tons, frozen berries and other fruits - 76 thousand tons, pasta - 38 thousand tons.
According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, in 2021, Ukraine exported agricultural food in the amount of 27.9 billion dollars, almost 25% above the 2020 record of 22.4 billion dollars. Thus, for the fourth year in a row, our country has updated the historical record of agricultural exports, said Nikolai Pugachev.
According to scientists from the Institute of Agrarian Economics, the decisive factor for the overall growth of exports of agricultural products in 2021 was the increase in supplies to Asia, the European Union, and Africa, which last year reached its peak during Ukraine's independence. At the same time, the cost of supplies to the CIS also increased.
In 2021, Asia continued to strengthen its position as a major importer of domestic agricultural products, again purchasing a record number of Ukrainian agricultural products. The value of domestic exports to the countries of this region last year increased to 13.7 billion dollars. This is 26% higher than the record supply of 10.9 billion dollars to this region. USA 2020. Last year, the share of Asian countries was almost half - 49.1% - of all Ukrainian agricultural exports.
Exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to EU member states, including the United Kingdom, increased by 12% against a record 2019 of $ 7.5 billion. US and amounted to $ 8.4 billion last year. The USA. At the same time, the EU's share in domestic agri-food exports was 30.1% last year.
Volumes to Africa in 2021 also increased: from 2.9 billion dollars. The US in 2020 to 3.7 billion dollars. USA (+28%). This provided the region with a 13.3% share of Ukrainian agricultural exports.
Supplies of domestic agri-food to the CIS countries increased by 8% compared to 2020 - up to 1.4 billion dollars. The USA, providing the region with a share of 5.0% in Ukrainian agri-food exports.
In general, these four regions purchase more than 97% of Ukrainian agricultural products.
China, which for the first time in 2019 won the leadership in the top 10 largest importers of Ukrainian agricultural products, overtaking India in third place, which for three consecutive years held the first place in the ranking, last year continued to strengthen its position as a major consumer of food from Ukraine. If in 2019, the value of supplies of domestic agricultural products to China amounted to 1955 million dollars. The USA, in 2020 they, almost doubled (+82%) and amounted to 3554 million dollars. The US, and in 2021 increased to 4286 million dollars. USA (+21%). At the same time, China's share in domestic agri-food exports was over 15% last year.
The main consumers of domestic agricultural products were also:
- India (USD 1954 million),
- The Netherlands (USD 1767 million),
- Egypt (USD 1,601 million),
- Turkey (USD 1465 million),
- Spain (USD 1,171 million),
- Poland (USD 1,073 million),
- Germany ($ 851 million).
- Indonesia ($ 761 million),
- Italy ($ 748 million)
Indonesia, which for the first time in 2020 was among the top 10 largest importers, last year increased its purchases of Ukrainian agricultural products by more than a third. It rose one step higher, overtaking Italy.
Last year, these ten countries generated about 56% of foreign exchange earnings for domestic agri-food exporters.
The key products of domestic agricultural exports have traditionally been cereals and oilseeds, various oils, residues from the food and processing industries, and meat and offal, which account for about 87% of its value.
