Ukrainian exports grew to $52 billion: how international exhibitions save business
13 February 14:28
Ukrainian exports are showing signs of recovery after a significant decline caused by Russian aggression. And one of the important elements that made this possible is business participation in international exhibitions. This was discussed during the discussion of state export support programs at the Mind Export Summit 2025 forum, Komersant ukrainskyi reports with reference to mind.
According to the data presented by Nazovni.online COO Oleksandra Sologub, Ukraine’s exports have experienced a significant drop from $68 billion in 2021 to $47 billion in 2023. However, in 2024, there was an increase to $52 billion.
“In 2021, Ukraine’s exports amounted to $68 billion, in 2023 it dropped to $47 billion, and in 2024 we saw a certain increase – $52 billion,”
– Sologub said.
As reported by , Ukrainian sugar producers are breaking export records after reorienting from the EU to the global market. However, in general, exports and imports in Ukraine decreased significantly in January.
Sologub also drew attention to the negative dynamics in the service sector, especially in the IT industry.
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Exhibitions make the difference
Participation in international exhibitions has become an important tool to support exporters. According to Sologub, thanks to this support, Ukrainian companies have saved more than 750 thousand euros at exhibitions in Italy alone.
“We help companies not only to contact economic diplomats but also to participate in exhibitions on preferential terms. This is a great advantage for Ukrainian business,”
– she emphasized.
Yevhen Motolyzhenko from the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development also noted the importance of participating in international exhibitions, including GalFood in the UAE and Biopharm in Germany.
“At exhibitions like Biopharm in Germany, our companies not only present themselves but also find new partners. This is critically important for Ukrainian exporters,”
he said.
Motolyzhenko cited the example of Andretan, which was able to optimize its export strategy thanks to the analytics provided.
“They changed their strategy after receiving the analytics and realized that in Germany, for example, the demand for conservative clothing is much higher than in Italy,”
– he said.
Successful experience was also shared by Wanted Vegan, whose CEO Viktor Kvashenko spoke about participation in Riga Food Expo.
“We participated in Riga Food Expo and have already signed a contract with a client from Latvia. In the first two months, we made two shipments, which corresponds to our monthly sales in Ukraine,”
– he said.
In conclusion, Kvashenko emphasized the importance of government support for business:
“It was a great opportunity for us to expand our horizons and improve the level of our business. We have already achieved great results, and this is just the beginning.”
“Simplified trade regime” with the European Union
A new trade year with the European Union began on January 1, so Ukrainian producers are rushing to ship products to the EU, which the EU limits to annual quotas.
At the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, as a gesture of support for the Ukrainian economy and in response to the Russian naval blockade of Ukrainian ports, the European Union decided to allow the free import of Ukrainian goods into the EU. During the two years of its operation, the simplified regime has gained a lot of opponents in the EU. In particular, the governments of Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia demanded to restrict the import of Ukrainian products (later France joined this position). They claim that cheap agricultural products from Ukraine are swallowing up their markets.
Six major European farmers’ associations also protested strongly against Ukrainian products. Polish farmers have even organized a border blockade, not only with Ukraine but also with Germany.
Nevertheless, after fierce debate, the simplified trade regime with Ukraine was extended until June 5, 2025. However, at the request of these countries, it was severely restricted.
Thus, the provisions on duty-free trade were amended to include new “safeguards” to protect European producers.
In particular, the European Commission may apply any measures it deems necessary if imports from Ukraine cause “significant disturbances” on the EU market or the markets of one or more EU Member States. In this case, the European Commission may launch an “emergency brake” for particularly sensitive agricultural products. This list includes the following products:
- poultry
- eggs
- sugar
- oats
- cereals
- corn;
- honey.
However, the European Commission has not only options but also responsibilities. If imports of these goods exceed the average import volumes recorded in the second half of 2021 and for the entirety of 2022 and 2023, customs tariffs must be restored within 14 days.
Thus, the EU has practically returned import quotas for many Ukrainian goods, albeit at a rather high level.
