For five consecutive years, Ukraine has been increasing its exports of agricultural crop seeds, primarily grain and oilseeds, while reducing their import volumes.
This was reported by Oleksandr Zakharchuk, head of the Investment and Material-Technical Support Department at the National Scientific Center Institute of Agrarian Economics and a corresponding member of the NAAS.
According to him, seed exports have grown more than sixfold over this period—from $20 million to $122 million.
The decrease in imports of foreign-selected grain and oilseeds is driven by several factors, the scientist explained.
First, Ukraine has the capability to produce high-quality hybrid seeds of foreign selection domestically at modern seed processing plants built by international companies.
Second, seed consumption has declined due to a reduction in the area of commercial crops, caused by the war, including the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories and ongoing hostilities.
"At the same time, the increased cultivation of certain niche grain and oilseed crops—prompted by the consequences of Russia's full-scale armed aggression and the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories—led to a rise in the import of niche crop seeds such as rye, oats, sorghum, flax, hemp, and mustard, as well as sugar beet and vegetable seeds from 2022 to 2024," Zakharchuk noted.
According to forecasts by scientists at the Institute of Agrarian Economics, the current trend of a 10-15% annual increase in seed exports will continue in 2025 and beyond. Seed imports are expected to remain within $350-400 million.
