Record Increase in Rapeseed Processing in Ukraine in September 2025 Following the Introduction of Export Duties

In September 2025, Ukrainian enterprises recorded unprecedented volumes of rapeseed processing. This was facilitated by the introduction of export duties on rapeseed and soybeans, which encouraged producers to direct raw materials towards domestic processing. According to analytical data, previously, a significant portion of rapeseed was exported abroad – nearly 90% of the total harvest, which severely limited the potential for the development of the processing industry in the country.

This is reported by AgroReview

Growth in Processing Volumes and Soy Product Exports

Analysts note a significant increase in soybean processing: over the past marketing year, more than 2.6 million tons were processed. This allowed for a substantial increase in the production and export of soybean oil and meal. In the 2024/25 marketing year, soybean oil exports rose by 52.5% in physical terms and nearly doubled – by 98% in monetary terms, compared to the same period of the previous year. Additionally, soybean meal exports increased by more than 95% in physical volume and by 54.4% in value.

In “UkrOliaprom,” it is emphasized that this indicates a demand for soybean oil and meal in many countries around the world, particularly in the EU, and unique opportunities for increasing domestic processing of raw materials and boosting production and export of high value-added products.

Impact of New Export Duties on the Rapeseed Market

As of September 4, 2025, Ukraine established an export duty of 10% on soybeans and rapeseed seeds. This became a key factor in activating domestic processing. The rapeseed processing season for the 2025 harvest began in July, when about 60,000 tons of raw materials were processed, allowing for the production and export of 25,000 tons of rapeseed oil.

However, it was in September, after the introduction of the duties, that a real breakthrough was observed: the volume of rapeseed processing at Ukrainian enterprises reached 250,000 tons – the highest monthly figure in the entire history of observations. A total of 120,000 tons of rapeseed oil was produced, of which 108.8 thousand tons (worth 121.9 million USD) were exported. Compared to last year, these figures increased by 2.8 and 3.3 times, respectively. The average price per ton of exported rapeseed oil also rose to 1120.4 USD, which is 171.4 USD more than last year.

The main buyers of Ukrainian rapeseed oil in September 2025 were European Union countries, which imported 92,000 tons, accounting for 84.5% of total exports. The largest importers among EU countries were:

• Netherlands – 29.0 thousand tons (27%)
• Belgium – 15.5 thousand tons (14.2%)
• Spain – 14.4 thousand tons (13.2%)
• Poland – 13.5 thousand tons (12.4%)

Another 16.8 thousand tons of rapeseed oil were exported to other countries around the world, including Singapore, which received 13.9 thousand tons (15.5%).