You're reading: Ukraine is global leader in exports of sunflower seeds, oil

Ukraine is looking for new markets to sell its products to replace reduced exports to Russia and the former Soviet countries, Agricultural Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Pavlenko has said.

“We’re returning to the global markets – now we’re first in exports of sunflower seeds and oil in the world, third in exports of fruit and seventh in exports of chicken meat,” Pavlenko told BNS news agency.

He said that Ukraine’s goods turnover with Russia and the former Soviet countries fell to 31 percent, while trade with the European Union and Ukraine’s largest trade partners in Asia has grown.

“We’re compensating the fall in the previous markets with new markets. For example, the Customs Union market for us has reached the same volume as the African market,” Pavlenko said.

Last year, Ukraine exported 30 million tonnes of grain, with production totaling 63.8 million tonnes.

Pavlenko said that the problems linked to infrastructure and machinery are being resolved, and that the state could double exports in three years.

He added that Ukraine could develop sunflower oil, fruit and fish trade with Estonia.