Ukraine among top three soybean meal suppliers to the EU

Source: APKinform (Ukraine)

For the first time in the 2024/25 marketing year, Ukraine ranks among the top three exporters of soybean meal to the EU, holding a 4% share, compared to 3% in the previous 2023/24 marketing year.

Strong demand from the EU, alongside favorable pricing and the potential for enhanced soybean processing in Ukraine during the 2024/25 season, has led to unprecedented levels of Ukrainian soybean meal shipments to this market.

Data from the European Commission reveals that from July to early February 2024/25, Ukrainian soybean meal purchases surged to 429,000 tons, marking a 72% increase compared to the same timeframe last season.

This significant rise in exports has been particularly pronounced in recent months, driven by large processors entering the soybean market and increasing their shipments, especially via water transport, which has proven to be more profitable than sunflower processing.

Historically, nearly 90% of Ukrainian soybean meal was transported by rail across the western border, primarily due to challenges in arranging large export shipments for bulk carriers.

Currently, Poland and Hungary are the primary importers of this product within the EU, while Spain and France have seen a rising share since December 2024.