January 2025 marked significant movements within the global export market, with Ukraine and Uzbekistan showing noteworthy results across their respective sectors. Ukrainian steel exports surged, setting recent records, whereas Uzbekistan faced declines in export volumes for its fruits and vegetables.
According to the GMK Center, Ukrainian steel companies ramped up their exports of flat steel products by 15.7% year-on-year (y/y) from January 2024, totaling 155.5 thousand tons for the month. This number also reflects a sharp increase of 28.8% month-on-month (m/m). These levels of shipments are the highest since September 2024, when Ukraine exported approximately 178.82 thousand tons of steel products.
The standout category was hot-rolled flat products (HS 7208), which represented the majority of shipments at 129.82 thousand tons. This category saw substantial growth, with increases of 17.5% y/y and an impressive 31% m/m. Notable consumers included Poland and Bulgaria, who collectively accounted for significant portions of these exports, with volumes reaching 43.44 thousand tons and 32.14 thousand tons, respectively. Cold-rolled flat products (HS 7209) also saw exports of 19.8 thousand tons, marking growth of 6.9% y/y and 22.5% m/m, primarily shipped to Poland and Italy.
The coated flat products pipeline contributed another 5.8 thousand tons to the export numbers, reflecting a 12% increase y/y and 6.8% increase m/m. Poland again featured prominently among buyers, receiving 3.83 thousand tons, followed by Romania with 1.82 thousand tons.
Financially, the flat products' exports generated revenues of $81.09 million, marking increases of 6.1% y/y and 17.2% m/m. This uptick is part of a broader trend observed throughout 2024, during which Ukraine achieved over 36.1% growth from the previous year, exporting 1.63 million tons of flat products. Hot-rolled flat products alone comprised over 80% of these exports, bringing the year's total to 1.363 million tons, reflecting 44.7% growth compared to 2023.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's export performance diverged with mixed results. The Agency of Statistics of Uzbekistan reported a total export value of $81.7 million for fruits and vegetables for January 2025, which represented an 8.6% increase from the same month the previous year. Despite revenue growth, the volume of exported produce fell dramatically, with shipments totalizing 94,100 tons—a notable 35.5% decrease y/y.
Key markets for Uzbek fruits and vegetables included Russia, which accounted for 23.7% of total exports, followed by Pakistan with 19.5%, Afghanistan with 12.5%, and Kazakhstan at 9.7%. The remaining exports were distributed among various other trading partners, reflecting Uzbekistan’s multifaceted approach to its agricultural exports.
Overall, January 2025 has provided insights on the fluctuative nature of global trade, particularly how different sectors react to market conditions. While Ukraine asserted its presence as a significant steel exporter, signaling recovery and growth, Uzbekistan’s situation serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by agricultural exporters amid shifting global dynamics.