Based on the average exchange rate for 2021, the Ukrainian hryvnia depreciated by -2.6% against the US dollar since 2017 and fell by -1.2% from 2020 to 2021. Ukraine’s weaker local currency makes Ukraine’s imports paid for in the comparatively stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the weaker Ukrainian hryvnia.
Ukraine’s spending on its top 7 imported products (refined petroleum oils, cars, petroleum gases, coal, medication mixes in dosage, phone devices including smartphones, and packaged insecticides, fungicides or herbicides) accounts for over one quarter (28.1%) of total Ukrainian imports by value.
Applying a continental lens to the latest data, about three-fifths (60.4%) of Ukraine’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners supplied 30.8% of imports purchased by Ukraine while 5.7% worth of goods originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Africa (1.6%), Latin American countries (1.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Ukraine’s population of 41.1 million people, its total $70 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $1,700 in yearly product demand from every person in the Eastern European nation. That dollar metric easily outpaces with the country’s average $1,300 per capita for 2020.
Ukraine’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Ukraine’s import purchases during 2021, at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Ukraine.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$12.5 billion (17.8% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $7.8 billion (11.2%)
- Vehicles: $7 billion (10%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $6.2 billion (8.8%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $3.48 billion (5%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $2.99 billion (4.3%)
- Other chemical goods: $1.7 billion (2.4%)
- Fertilizers: $1.6 billion (2.2%)
- Iron, steel: $1.47 billion (2.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.46 billion (2.1%)
Ukraine’s top 10 imports were roughly two-thirds (65.9%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Fertilizers represent Ukraine’s fastest grower among its top import categories via an 84.7% increase from 2020 to 2021.
The second-fastest gainer was the mineral fuels including oil category up by 61% propelled by greater import purchases of refined petroleum oils, petroleum gases, coal and, to a lesser extent, crude oil.
Other leading gainers were Ukraine’s imports of iron or steel materials (up 41.4%) and plastics both as a material and items made from plastic (up 40.4%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the adjacent virtual folder tabs labeled with product groupings is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Ukraine’s Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil
In 2021, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related energy products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$5.4 billion (up 62.1% from 2020)
- Petroleum gases: $2.9 billion (up 63.5%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.4 billion (up 42.4%)
- Crude oil: $749.5 million (up 89.8%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $480.2 million (up 87.7%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $311.6 million (up 278.1%)
- Electrical energy: $86.2 million (down -34.5%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $16 million (up 100.8%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $15.7 million (up 186.6%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $13.9 million (up 33.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of coke or semi-coke (up 278.1%), high temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 186.6%) then asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 100.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related energy imports among Ukrainian businesses and consumers.
Ukraine’s Imports of Machinery Including Computers
In 2021, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$842.9 million (up 36.3% from 2020)
- Harvest/threshing machinery: $442.1 million (up 62.6%)
- Nuclear reactors, fuel elements: $402.5 million (up 88.6%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $370.5 million (up 14.4%)
- Soil machinery: $366 million (up 50.2%)
- Machinery for soil preparation, cultivation: $343.3 million (up 54.7%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $311.3 million (up 16.2%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $309.6 million (up 37.2%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $298.5 million (up 28.8%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $238.2 million (up 16.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of nuclear reactors including fuel elements (up 88.6%), harvesting or threshing machinery (up 62.6%) then heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 54.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery -related imports among Ukrainian businesses and consumers.
Ukraine’s Imports of Vehicles
In 2021, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related goods.
- Cars: US$4.4 billion (up 25.2% from 2020)
- Tractors: $770 million (up 47.9%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $614.4 million (up 22.3%)
- Trucks: $553.5 million (up 33.5%)
- Trailers: $216.7 million (up 16.8%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $166.1 million (up 36.7%)
- Automobile bodies: $81.9 million (up 26.3%)
- Motorcycles: $64.3 million (up 17.3%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $57 million (down -11.2%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $32.3 million (up 39.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of tractors (up 47.9%), bicycles and other non-motorized cycles (up 39.6%) then special purpose vehicles (up 36.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of vehicles-related imports among Ukrainian businesses and consumers.
Ukraine’s Imports of Electrical Products
In 2021, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$1.3 billion (up 19.9% from 2020)
- Insulated wire/cable: $603.7 million (up 21.1%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $446.1 million (up 23.2%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $407.6 million (up 17.8%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $373.5 million (down -0.5%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $281.5 million (down -10.8%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $236.8 million (up 38.9%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $234.5 million (up 9.4%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $219.1 million (down -30.2%)
- Insulating fitting: $173.2 million (up 186.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of insulating fitting (up 186.7%), integrated circuits and microassemblies (up 38.9%) then lower-voltage switches or fuses (up 23.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of electronics-related imports among Ukrainian businesses and consumers.
See also Ukraine’s Top 10 Exports, Russia’s Top 10 Imports, Wheat Imports by Country and Most Valuable Red Meat Import Markets by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook report on Europe: Ukraine. Accessed on May 15, 2022
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 15, 2022
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 15, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 15, 2022
