Logistics infrastructure may become one of the main constraints for Ukraine’s agricultural sector if attacks on ports and related infrastructure intensify. Agriculture accounts for roughly half of the country’s freight flow, so disruptions in transport quickly become an economic issue.
Andriy But, foreign economic activity director at AGROTRADE Group, warned that 92 percent of Ukrainian agricultural exports move by sea. This makes port capacity and maritime logistics decisive for the whole grain and oilseed chain.
Why ports are vulnerable
In November and December, agribusiness felt a combination of port infrastructure attacks, power shortages and difficult weather. Air alerts also reduced the productivity of port operations because work cannot continue normally when personnel must stop or move to shelters.
If all air alerts in the 2025 and 2026 marketing season were combined, they would equal 45 uninterrupted days, including 15 days in November and December alone. Even so, port infrastructure exported about 3.5 to 4 million tonnes in those two months.
Spring recovery does not remove the risk
Exports improved in spring as weather became better and energy infrastructure suffered less pressure. However, strikes on port logistics in Odesa region increased again in March and April, showing that the bottleneck can return quickly.
For farmers and traders, the lesson is uncomfortable: crop production is only one part of export capacity. Elevators, rail, trucks, port power supply, safety pauses and vessel schedules now define how much of the harvest can reach buyers on time.
