The European Union remains a major supplier of agricultural products to Ukraine for the second year in a row, accounting for 48.9% of the country’s agri-food imports in 2017.
Shipments in monetary terms from Europe increased to $2.27 billion in 2017, from $1.94 billion in 2016, the press center of the National Scientific Center “Institute of Agrarian Economy” said.
Ukraine bought farm produce mainly in Poland ($457 million), Germany ($445 million), Turkey ($301 million), France ($209 million), Italy ($198 million), the United States ($194 million), the Netherlands and Indonesia ($176 million each), Norway ($149 million), and Spain ($128 million).
The said countries accounted for over 52% of Ukraine’s total agri-food imports in monetary terms.
The share of agri-imports from the Asian countries was 20.2%, or $941 million. Imports from Latin America stood at $391 million (8.4%), while those from Africa at $237 million (5.1%).
Supplies from the CIS countries shrank by 5.4% from 2016, to $157 million (3.4% of total agri-food imports).
“In 2017 fruit, mainly citrus ones, bananas, and nuts traditionally accounted for the lion’s share of Ukraine’s food product imports, which was namely $477 million, in monetary terms,” the report said.
Fish and crustacean imports, where frozen fish prevailed, ranked second, totaling $455 million (up by 11% YoY).
Tobacco imports worth $403 million ranked third in 2017.
Oilseeds imports (mainly sunflower seeds) totaled $309 million, while those of coffee and tea stood at $194 million, as well as ethyl alcohol at $182 million. (UNIAN/Business World Magazine)