Ukraine will export less wheat, sugar, and barley to the EU

The European Union will reduce imports of Ukrainian wheat and sugar by 80% according to new quotas. Reuters reports this. The decision was made under pressure from European farmers concerned about competition. As a result, Ukrainian producers will be forced to sell more products in Asian and African markets. After the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, the EU opened its food markets and temporarily suspended duties and quotas for Ukraine as a sign of solidarity and due to the blockage of export routes through the Black Sea. However, the trade-free regime will end in early June 2025. Although the updated duty-free delivery volumes are higher than the quotas provided by the first free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine, which has been in effect since 2016, they will be significantly lower than the duty-free import volumes of the past three years. The EU's new decision increases Ukraine's pre-war quota for duty-free wheat imports from 1 to 1.3 million tons within the ...