Ukraine Sets Record for Rapeseed Oil Exports in September 2025
In September 2025/2026 marketing year, Ukraine achieved a record export figure for rapeseed oil, shipping nearly 109 thousand tons of this product abroad. This is 4.5 times more than was exported in August. This result marks the highest monthly volume in the history of Ukrainian rapeseed oil exports.
This is reported by AgroReview
Leadership in the EU Market and Comparison with Other Countries
The majority of rapeseed oil – 92 thousand tons, accounting for 85% of the total volume – was sent to European Union countries. This is an absolute record for this direction. In comparison, in July and August 2025, Kenya was the main exporter of rapeseed oil to the EU. At that time, Ukraine primarily exported unprocessed rapeseed seeds rather than finished oil.
“Think about it: Kenya figured out that it’s better to produce oil than just sell seeds abroad. Meanwhile, we had extensive public discussions and still do: what is better? Let’s think, let’s consult. Why produce, isn’t it better to supply unprocessed raw materials? It’s a free market, someone needs it, we will be Europe’s feeder. It’s not a bad role to be Europe’s feeder, right?” – said Halasyuk.
Impact of Export Duty and Legislative Changes
According to economist Viktor Halasyuk, achieving leadership in the rapeseed oil market became possible due to the introduction of a 10% export duty. In his opinion, this decision has become an effective tool for stimulating the processing of raw materials within the country. After the duty was implemented, agricultural producers began to sell more seeds in the domestic market, which allowed Ukrainian processing plants to operate at full capacity and increase the production of rapeseed oil in Ukraine.
Halasyuk noted that the export duty effectively became a tax on the export of unprocessed agricultural raw materials, which contributed to the development of the processing industry:
“There’s no complex mathematics or economics here. It’s common sense – to process raw materials into products with added value,” – said the expert.
Recall that on July 16, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a decision to impose an export duty for grain traders on soybeans and rapeseed seeds at a rate of 10%. Producers of finished products are not subject to these restrictions. The funds collected from the duty are directed to a special fund to support agricultural producers. On September 2, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the corresponding bill.