Photo from UNIAN
Food imports to Ukraine fell by 41.5% last year to $3.8 billion amid declining purchasing power of the population and the increase in prices for imported products due to the weakening of the national currency, according to a report of the Ukrainian National Scientific Center "Institute of Agrarian Economy" citing Deputy Director of the Center Mykola Pugachov.
"In 2015, Ukraine imported $3.8 billion worth of farm produce, which was lower by 41.5% than in 2014, with food imports totaling $6.4 billion," Pugachov was quoted by the press service as saying.
At this, the share of agricultural imports from Europe increased to 45% last year, from 42% in 2014. Major European suppliers are Germany, Poland, France, Italy and Spain, accounting for 29% of food supplies to Ukraine.
Asian countries, including Turkey, Indonesia, India and China, also increased their food imports to Ukraine last year to 20.3%, as compared with 19.1% in 2014.
At the same time, the share of CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries in Ukraine's food imports decreased to 9.1% in 2015 from 12% a year earlier, mainly due to the breakdown in trade between Ukraine and Russia, which accounted for 7% of Ukraine’s agricultural imports in 2015.
In 2015, nuts and fruits (mainly citrus fruits and bananas) dominated in the structure of the country's food imports, being estimated at $466 million. The import of tobacco products amounted to $404 million, that of fish and crustaceans – $291 million. Ukraine also imported $194 million worth of cocoa and chocolate, $186 million of coffee, tea and spices, as well as $132 million of oils, mainly palm and coconut oils.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine exported $14.6 billion worth of farm produce in 2015, exceeding imports by $11.1 billion, which was a record high level since the country's independence. Last year, Asian countries accounted for 45% of Ukrainian food exports. The share of exports to Europe was 28.2%, to Africa 13.6% and to the CIS countries 10%. Grain accounted for 16% of all farm produce exports, fats and oil for 9% and oilseeds for 4%.