Growth of pasta exports from Ukraine in 2023

In 2023, Ukraine achieved a significant increase in the export of pasta products, increasing its volume to about 24 thousand tons, which brought the country almost 53 million dollars. This is a third more compared to the previous year. It is important to note that the dynamics of pasta export growth was observed even before the start of a full-scale war.

According to the Agricultural Export Association, the main sales market for Ukrainian products has become the European Union. The EU provided revenues in the amount of about 43 million dollars, which is 80% of the total amount of exports. The greatest demand for Ukrainian pasta was observed in such countries as Germany (4.6 thousand tons), Romania (3.1 thousand tons), Moldova (3.0 thousand tons), Poland (2.0 thousand tons) , Latvia (1.5 thousand tons), Great Britain (1.4 thousand tons), Lithuania (1.4 thousand tons) and Bulgaria (1.1 thousand tons).

In addition, Ukrainian macaroni found its customers outside of Europe. They were exported to Israel, USA, Burkina Faso, Palestine and Iraq. This testifies to the high quality and competitiveness of Ukrainian products on the world market.

In the structure of export sales, three categories attract special attention: products without fillings (2.2 thousand tons), pasta with fillings (4.0 thousand tons) and instant vermicelli (17.5 thousand tons). This emphasizes the diversity of Ukrainian products and their ability to satisfy different consumer tastes.

Despite the positive dynamics of exports, Ukraine still has a negative balance of foreign trade in pasta products. In 2023, pasta imports exceeded exports, amounting to more than 28,000 tons worth $39 million. The main suppliers were Italy, Turkey, Poland and China, which provided 90% of imports. The most imported classic pasta without filling was 25,000 tons.

In 2024, a continuation of the positive trend is observed: in the first quarter, the export of pasta products increased by 50% compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 8 thousand tons worth $17 million. The main buyers now are Germany, Great Britain and Romania, whose share is 43% in monetary terms.

For the further development of exports, Ukraine plans to expand the geography of supplies. New markets may include the US, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and Malaysia, where demand for pasta is high.