Ukraine harvested almost 60 million tons of grain: second place in Europe and a signal to the EU about its agricultural potential
26 December 2025 17:09
Ukraine is completing the 2025 harvest with indicators that allow it to gain a foothold among Europe’s largest agricultural producers – even amid war, difficult logistics, and unstable weather. This was reported by the government portal, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the government portal, Ukrainian farmers have already harvested 57.6 million tons of grain, and after the corn harvest is over, the total production is expected to reach about 60 million tons. In addition, 17.3 million tons of oilseeds will be harvested in 2025.
What do these figures mean?
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy emphasizes that Ukraine already ranks second among the EU countries in terms of grain production, behind only France (63.1 million tons) and ahead of Germany (45.2 million tons) and Poland (36.5 million tons).
Individual crops show even more pronounced leadership:
- Corn: 23.5 mln tons – Ukraine remains the largest producer in Europe, while the total EU volume is 57 mln tons.
- Sunflower: 9 million tons – more than all EU countries together (8.5 million tons).
The government uses these figures as an argument in discussions about European integration and Ukraine’s role in the common agricultural market.
Yields: below the EU, but with potential
The average grain yield in Ukraine in 2025 was 5.08 t/ha, about 14% lower than the EU average. This ranks Ukraine 18th among the 27 EU countries, but at the same time higher than some major agricultural countries:
- 15% higher than in Spain;
- 11% higher than in Romania.
At the same time, France and Germany demonstrate yields 42-48% higher than Ukraine’s. The Ministry emphasizes that the difference is not due to climate, but to access to investment, technology, infrastructure, and financing.
European context
The government is using this data as a response to the concerns of some European farmers about the “threat” from the Ukrainian agricultural sector.
Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Taras Vysotsky said that Ukraine does not destabilize the EU market, but rather the opposite:
“It enhances supply stability and strengthens global food security.”
According to him, Ukraine’s integration into the EU will mean the emergence of a powerful agricultural producer with high growth potential, which can increase the EU’s resilience to global food crises.
Data for 2025 demonstrate the paradox of the Ukrainian agricultural sector: high production volumes are combined with limited export opportunities and political risks. In the coming years, the key issue will be not only how much grain Ukraine harvests, but also how and where it can sell it – in the context of war and difficult negotiations with the European Union.
