The European Union has significantly reduced its purchases of corn from Ukraine amid ongoing logistics challenges caused by the war with Russia. According to analysts at S&P Global, corn imports to EU countries for the 2024-2025 season are estimated at 18.79 million tons, down from 19.83 million tons in the previous marketing year. It is projected that imports could rise to 21 million tons in 2025-2026.
This is reported by Finway
Change in the Structure of Corn Suppliers to the EU
Over the past five years, Ukraine has remained the leading exporter of corn to the EU, with an average of 9.7 million tons per year, accounting for 53.5% of total imports. However, in the current season, the supply structure has undergone significant changes: Brazil’s share has increased to 40%, the United States to 28.3%, while Ukraine’s share has decreased to 22.4%.
“Market participants reported delays in receiving contracted Ukrainian corn, prompting buyers to increasingly turn to supplies from Brazil and the United States.”
Positions of Major Importers and the Impact of Pricing Policy
Among the largest corn-importing countries in the EU are Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy. In particular, Spain, which is sensitive to price fluctuations, has recently preferred the more affordable American corn. At the same time, Ukrainian corn has remained relatively expensive due to increased demand from Turkey, which has also affected its share in the European market.