From July 2025 to January 2026, Ukraine exported 18.6 million tons of grain crops, which is 24% less than during the same period of the previous marketing year. In monetary terms, the decline in exports was recorded at 18%.
This is reported by Business • Media
Main Reasons for the Decrease in Grain Exports from Ukraine
The slowdown in exports is due to a number of key factors:
- Prolonged harvesting, especially of corn. As of January 2026, approximately 8% of the corn planting area remained unharvested due to unfavorable weather conditions in the fall, which led to high grain moisture and the need for additional drying.
- Constant attacks by Russian forces on port infrastructure complicate the organization of shipments.
“However, overall for the 2025/26 marketing year, we expect a higher export of grain crops compared to the previous year, although this year it will be significantly stretched over time,” experts noted.
Impact of Infrastructure Problems and Logistics Constraints
In January 2026, 90% of grains, oilseeds, and their processed products were exported by sea. Alternative land routes have limited capacity and are more expensive.
Problems hindering uninterrupted exports from Ukraine include:
- Destruction of railway and port infrastructure, including elevators, oil extraction plants, railway hubs, bridges, and vessels entering Ukrainian ports for loading.
- Port operations being halted during shelling or air alerts, which delays unloading times. Often, export operations are suspended due to power outages.
- Rising logistics costs due to increased insurance payments and vessel downtime.
Despite significant difficulties, demand for Ukrainian grains in global markets remains stable due to a shortage of this product. According to estimates from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the average monthly volume of exports of grains, oilseeds, and their processed products currently exceeds 4 million tons, which is 20% less than the peak figures during the full-scale war.