More than half of agricultural and food imports to Ukraine comes from the EU.
In January-October 2018, Ukraine’s total trade in agricultural goods amounted $19,2 bn, with exports $14.8 billion ($165 million more than last year) and imports $ 4,3 bn. Asian countries occupy first place in the regional structure of export, second place - EU, third - African countries, announced the Deputy Minister Agrarian Policy and Food Olga Trofimtseva.
She informed that in January-October 2018 foreign trade turnover of agrarian and food products between Ukraine and the EU increased by 7.1% compared to the same period in 2017 and amounted $ 6.9 billion.
Import of European goods to Ukraine showed an increase during the mentioned period, at present it makes almost $ 2.2 billion. In 2018 Ukraine imported from the EU tobacco and its products, chocolate and products from cacao-beans, feed for animals, meat and meat subproducts, alcoholic beverages, grain products and cereals.
Ukrainian exports also showed an increase during this period and amounted $ 4,7 billion. "EU countries are extremely important partners for Ukraine in terms of trade and economic relations in the field of agribusiness. This is proven by the dynamics of the bilateral trade in agrarian and food products. The share of EU in the regional structure of Ukrainian agricultural export for the 10 months of 2018 is 31.6%", - underlined Olga Trofimtseva.
The Netherlands ($ 865.5 thousand), Spain ($ 713.6 thousand), Italy ($ 583.7 thousand) and Poland ($ 535.3 thousand) were the largest importers of Ukrainian products among the EU countries during this period. "During this period, Ukrainian producers increased the volume of export of a number of products to the EU markets. Among them were rape seeds, poultry meat, wheat, corn, dried beans, nuts, sugar confectionery, fennel, rape or mustard oil, chocolate and other products"- commented Olga Trofimtseva.
As of November 26, 2018 fully used 10 quotas for duty free exports of food under a Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement with the European Union (EU), particular, quotas for honey, cereals, malt and wheat gluten, preserved tomatoes, grape and apple juices, wheat and corn, butter and poultry. According to a posting on the website of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) http://ucab.ua/ua/pres_sluzhba/novosti/ukraina_zakrila_kvotu_es_na_krokhmal, Ukraine also almost fully used quotas for starch (95%) and garlic (96%).
The UCAB reminded that from October 1, 2018 the second year of additional quotas for five groups of goods were opened, and two groups have been already closed (honey and preserved tomatoes). "Before the end of the year, additional quotas for grain will be in effect, of which the volume for wheat and corn has already been used, and only 23% is used for barley," the representative of UCAB said.
Sources: minagro.gov.ua; ucab.ua; Interfax.ua