Ukraine’s soybean and rapeseed exports suspended amid customs and grain origin confusion

Soybean and rapeseed exports in Ukraine have been completely suspended due to the cancellation of customs declarations and confusion over grain origin verification.

According to the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC), farmers are “unwilling” to pay a 10% duty, traders are counting losses from idle vessels, and processors have already lowered their purchase prices.

Shipments halted

Following the introduction of a 10% export duty on soybeans and rapeseed, shipments of oilseeds from Ukrainian ports have effectively stopped. The UAC has appealed to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, urging the government to resolve the situation urgently.

According to Andrii Dykun, chairman of the UAC, exports have been entirely blocked as of September 5.

“Export is only possible with the payment of a 10% duty, yet vessels are waiting in ports because these batches contain mixed products — both from producers and traders,” says Dykun. 

“The problem lies in the absence of a clear procedure for documentary confirmation of the origin of products grown directly by farmers or cooperatives. According to the law signed by the President of Ukraine on September 2, 2025, these producers should be exempt from paying the duty, but at the moment, this is impossible to implement.”

A significant number of traders, anticipating the introduction of export duties, had been buying rapeseed exclusively from producers since August. However, on September 4, the customs authorities annulled all periodic customs declarations, including those from producers who were supposed to be exempt from duty.

The lack of a mechanism for customs to verify the fact of self-produced goods has resulted in producers being forced to pay the 10% duty until the origin is officially established.

Domestic processors have taken advantage of the situation, gradually lowering their purchase prices over the past week. For producers, the inability to sell rapeseed for export could become a reality for at least a month, until legislation and mechanisms are adjusted.

Over a week, domestic rapeseed purchase prices dropped from US$600 per metric ton (including VAT) at the beginning of the week, to US$585 per metric ton by the end of the week. Export quotations also decreased by US$15–20 per metric ton, down to US$520–530 per metric ton. Rapeseed oil prices lost about US$30 per metric ton over the past week, trading at €1,050–1,060 per metric ton FOB northern ports.

Farmers and agricultural producers in Ukraine emphasize that preparing regulations for confirming self-produced goods during customs clearance falls under the responsibility of Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance. In this regard, they have called on the government to take urgent measures to unblock exports, since a prompt resolution is critically important for the stability of agricultural exports and the preservation of foreign currency revenues for the state budget.

“Unfortunately, this situation was predictable, and the UAC has consistently stressed that it is unacceptable to adopt a law without establishing mechanisms for verifying the origin of producers’ goods. Now this has become a major problem,” asserts Dykun.