In 2024, Ukraine entered the top three largest exporters of agricultural products to the European Union, Eurostat reported.
According to the published information, the largest share of imports into the EU was from Brazil – 8.8% (EUR 17.1 billion), the United Kingdom – 8.5% (EUR 16.6 billion), Ukraine – 6.7% (EUR 13.1 billion), and the USA – 6.1% (EUR 12.0 billion). Among the main suppliers of agricultural products to the EU were also China – 5.1%, Norway – 4.7%, and Turkey – 4%.
The EU’s main partner for exporting its agricultural products in 2024 was the United Kingdom, with a share of 23.0% (EUR 54.0 billion), followed by the USA (12.8%; EUR 30.1 billion), Switzerland (5.4%; EUR 12.6 billion), and China (5.3%; EUR 12.3 billion).
Eurostat also noted that in 2024 the EU exported agricultural products worth EUR 234.1 billion and imported EUR 194.9 billion, resulting in a surplus of EUR 39.2 billion. Compared to 2023, both exports and imports increased – by 2.8% and 6.7%, respectively.
The volume of agricultural trade in the EU from 2014 to 2024 grew by 59%, with exports rising by 58% and imports by 60.2%, which corresponds to an average annual growth of 4.7% for exports and 4.8% for imports.
As was reported, in 2022 the EU lifted restrictions on Ukrainian imports and introduced a so-called customs visa-free regime. Starting June 6, 2025, according to European media, new rules will come into effect — duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports will be reinstated. Currently, the EU is preparing a transitional regime that will limit the volumes of duty-free agricultural exports: grain, honey, eggs, sugar, and other products will be subject to restrictions.
The initiator of the changes was Poland, which stated the need to protect European farmers. Several EU countries supported the tightening of trade conditions with Ukraine.
According to estimates by the Ukrainian government, abandoning the current rules will lead to losses for the country of about EUR 3.5 billion per year.
