Ukraine has potential to boost agricultural exports to UK

KYIV. April 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The United Kingdom's decision to lift all tariffs and quotas on goods from Ukraine will allow Ukrainian agricultural enterprises to increase deliveries of poultry, walnut, honey, cranberry, blueberry, and pea to the UK market.

This list of high-margin agricultural products that Ukraine could export to the UK was published on the website of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association on Wednesday evening.

Agricultural products worth $553 million were exported from Ukraine to the UK in 2021, it said. They include sunflower seed oil (31% of export revenue), rapeseed (28%) and corn (24%).

In particular, Ukrainian agricultural companies may focus their export efforts on poultry deliveries to the UK. This export stood at 2,600 tonnes in 2021. Ukraine accounts for 1% of the UK's poultry imports. Its key rivals are the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium.

Shelled walnut exports also hold promise. These exports stood at 700 tonnes in 2021. Ukraine accounts for 6% of the UK's walnut imports. Ukraine's main rivals here are the United States, Germany and China.

Ukrainian agricultural enterprises can also increase honey exports to the UK (800 tonnes in 2021). Ukraine accounts for 1% of the UK's honey imports. Its key rivals are China, Poland and Mexico.

Cranberry and blueberry exports from Ukraine are also promising (200 tonnes in 2021). Ukraine accounts for 0.3% of the UK's cranberry and blueberry imports. Ukraine's main rivals are Spain, Peru and Chili.

Ukraine's pea exports to the UK totaled 4,900 tonnes in 2021, accounting for 12% of the UK's pea imports that year. In this market niche, Ukraine faces competition mainly from Russia, but the economic sanctions imposed on Russia may give Ukraine an extra competitive edge.

As reported, the UK government cut all tariffs on Ukraine goods to zero on April 26.