Ukraine Says September Farm Exports Reached Only 46% of Required Potential

Ukraine exported 2.4 million tonnes of agricultural products in September, which the government says represented only 46 percent of the export volume the sector needs under normal conditions.

Grain accounted for 1.4 million tonnes, or about 38 percent of the government's estimated potential grain export volume for the month.

Oilseed exports reached 444,000 tonnes, vegetable oil 311,000 tonnes and oilseed meal 280,000 tonnes, showing that higher value processed products moved closer to their required volumes than bulk grain.

The route breakdown shows how heavily Ukraine now depends on alternatives to full Black Sea access. Danube ports handled 1.3 million tonnes, rail carried 993,000 tonnes and road transport another 120,000 tonnes.

Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi said the absence of full Black Sea port access creates an effective export ceiling of roughly 45 to 50 percent.

Ukraine has asked the European Union for at least €1.1 billion to help compensate additional logistics costs estimated at around €50 per tonne.

The government says that support could enable up to 20 million tonnes of additional agricultural exports, while storage needs are also rising because more crop remains inside the country.

For global grain and oilseed markets, the latest figures quantify the logistics problem directly: Ukraine can still move substantial volumes, but its current routes are far below the capacity needed to clear production efficiently.