Development of agricultural exports from Ukraine to EU countries in 2014-2023

This bachelor thesis examines the impact of the Russian invasion on the agricultural sector of Ukraine and its effect on agricultural exports from Ukraine to the European Union (EU) countries during 2014-2023. By analysing and comparing data from academic articles and from Eurostat and IMF databases, the thesis arrives at the following results. Thanks to the EU's assistance to Ukrainian agricultural exports, namely through Solidarity Lanes, autonomous trade measures and the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Ukrainian agricultural exports to EU countries did not decline during the Russian invasion. On the contrary, during the period under review, Ukrainian agricultural exports to EU countries reached their peak in 2022. Maize was the most imported commodity to EU countries and also had the largest export increase during 2022. These EU instruments to help Ukrainian agricultural exports contributed to demonstrations by EU farmers who had to reduce the prices of their products due to competitive pressure from cheaper Ukrainian agricultural products. The greatest pressure from Ukrainian agricultural production was seen in the countries neighbouring Ukraine and in Spain, where demand for agricultural products was high. Autonomous trade measures, Solidarity Lanes and the Black Sea Grain Initiative contributed to the reduction of prices of the agricultural products under review. Although agricultural prices were expected to increase as a consequence of the war, the reality is that prices for these products almost fell to pre-pandemic COVID-19.