In 2024, mutual trade in agricultural products between Ukraine and the European Union increased to nearly $17 billion, the highest level since the Association Agreement came into force, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 ($16.5 billion) by 3%, according to specialists from the National Scientific Center Institute of Agrarian Economics.
According to the researchers, last year the trade balance was positive, amounting to around $9 billion.
The main European partners for Ukraine in 2024 were Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Romania, France, and Belgium. These countries accounted for 80% of the total Ukrainian trade turnover of agricultural products with the EU.
In 2024, Ukraine imported agricultural products from EU member states worth about $4.006 billion, almost 9% more than the previous year. Researchers note, however, that the structure of imports is not as stable as that of exports, with several product groups standing out.
Specifically, Ukraine's largest imports from the EU were beverages, worth $484 million. Other major imports included various food products, extracts, and concentrates ($405 million), tobacco products ($385 million), animal feed, residues, and waste ($356 million), and cocoa and chocolate products ($289 million).
According to the Institute of Agrarian Economics (IAE), dairy products accounted for a noticeable share (7%) of Ukraine's imports from the EU in 2024, with an 8% increase compared to 2023, totaling $277 million. The main product in this group was various cheeses, which were imported for $225 million.
Additionally, the value of grain-based ready products imported to Ukraine amounted to $258 million.
Overall, these product groups made up about 61% of the total value of food imports from the European Union.
The European Union remains the main supplier of agri-food products to Ukraine, consistently meeting the internal market's needs with a wide range of goods produced in EU member states, the IAE concluded.
