Demand for Ukrainian beef breaks records: exports have increased significantly
20 November 2025 12:35
Export demand for Ukrainian beef is growing rapidly, creating new opportunities for domestic producers. In foreign markets, demand is confidently outstripping supply, which pushes prices up and encourages Ukrainian companies to increase supply volumes.
This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the analyst of the Association of Milk Producers Giorgi Kukhaleishvili.
According to preliminary data of the State Customs Service, in October 2025, exports of live cattle increased to 1.65 thousand tons, which is an impressive 197% more than in September. The lion’s share of shipments went to Lebanon (84%), as well as to Kazakhstan (9%) and Libya (6.4%), indicating a reorientation of exporters to the Middle East and Central Asia.
Significant growth is also observed in the fresh and chilled beef segment. In October, Ukraine exported 251 tons of such products, up 141% from a month earlier. The key sales markets in 2025 are Turkey (44%), Georgia (25%), Jordan (16%), Azerbaijan (10%) and Moldova (5%).
The dynamics in the supply of frozen beef also remains high: in October, exports reached 1.53 thousand tons, which is 30% higher than in September. The main buyers of Ukrainian products were Azerbaijan (33%), China (28%), Uzbekistan (16%), Kazakhstan (8%) and Moldova (6%). This geography demonstrates the stable demand for Ukrainian beef in both Asian and CIS markets.
Interestingly, in October Ukraine also imported 42 tons of cattle, while in the previous month and in the same period last year no imports were recorded. This may indicate that some processors need to replenish their livestock or maintain production cycles.
As a result, the foreign trade balance of Ukraine in the beef sector in October 2025 remained confidently in the “plus” and amounted to 12.86 million USD. Growing demand in global markets opens up additional prospects for Ukrainian producers, while emphasizing the importance of supporting the industry and increasing its competitiveness.
