Ukrainian Agricultural Sector Faces Losses of Up to $3 Billion

Ukraine could suffer losses of up to $3 billion in its agricultural sector this year, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyi said on Monday. The reason is Russian attacks on key Black Sea ports, which have led international shipping companies to almost completely halt operations, according to Reuters.

Port Blockade Halts Exports

Since July 22, 2026, the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, which together form the Greater Odesa area and handle the majority of Ukraine's exports, have not received or dispatched any foreign cargo ships. International companies refuse to cooperate for security reasons and are redirecting cargo, for example, to Romania's Constanta port.

"Direct losses for the Ukrainian agricultural sector could reach between $1.5 billion and $3 billion this year," Vysotskyi said. "The situation is extremely complicated. In some aspects, it is even more severe than in March-April 2022."

Dramatic Increase in Attacks

According to data reported by Reuters, the intensity of attacks on port infrastructure and vessels has increased dramatically. In July alone, there were 35 attacks on ships in ports, 22 attacks on ships at sea, and 67 strikes on port infrastructure. In comparison, throughout 2025, there were a total of 14 attacks on ships.

Alternative Routes Insufficient

Kyiv is intensively working on establishing alternative export routes by rail, road, and river via the Danube, but these will not be able to fully compensate for the capacity lost due to the blockade of Black Sea ports. These detour routes are expected to reach full functionality only by the end of August and cover only about half of the usual export volume.

Using alternative routes raises producers' costs by approximately $45 to $50 per ton. An additional blow is the drop in purchase prices for oilseeds and grains in Ukraine by an average of 30 percent. Logistical problems have led many farmers to sell their harvest below production costs, and according to some organizations, a large number of them have not only failed to make a profit this season but have accumulated debts.

Threat to Global Food Supply

"More than 30 million tons of products will not be exported to international markets if this problem is not resolved," warned Minister Vysotskyi. This means that nearly half of Ukraine's export harvest could simply rot in storage.

Although Croatia is not directly affected by this crisis, disruptions in the global grain and oilseed market could be reflected in rising food prices in Croatian stores, given that Ukraine is one of the world's key exporters of agricultural products.