Imports of products into Ukraine cost a total US$72.8 billion in 2022, falling by -3.4% compared to $57.2 billion in 2018.

Year over year, the overall value of Ukrainian imported goods plunged by -24.2% from $72.8 billion for 2021.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, the Ukrainian hryvnia depreciated by -18.9% against the US dollar since 2018 and fell by -18.5% from 2021 to 2022. 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.

Major Suppliers of Ukrainian Imports

The latest available country-specific data shows that 70.8% of products imported into Ukraine were supplied by exporters in: mainland China (35.6% of the Ukrainian total), Poland (7.5%), Germany (5.2%), Türkiye (5.1%), United States of America (4%), Bulgaria (2.8%), Italy (2.7%), India (2.2%), Russia (2.2%), Czech Republic (1.8%), Romania (1.7%) and Belarus (1.3%).

Applying a continental lens to the latest data, almost three-fifths (58.9%) of Ukraine’s total imports by value was purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners supplied 33.9% of imports purchased by Ukraine, while another 4.5% worth of goods originated from North America.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin American countries (1.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.1%), then Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Ukraine’s population of 34.8 million people, its total $55.2 billion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $1,600 in yearly product demand from every person in the Eastern European nation. That dollar metric falls below the country’s average $1,700 per capita for 2021.

Ukraine’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Ukraine’s import purchases during 2022, 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.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$12.8 billion (23.2% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $5.2 billion (9.5%)
3. Electrical machinery, equipment: $5 billion (9%)
4. Machinery including computers: $4.2 billion (7.6%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $2.5 billion (4.5%)
6. Pharmaceuticals: $1.9 billion (3.4%)
7. Other chemical goods: $1.3 billion (2.4%)
8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.2 billion (2.1%)
9. Iron, steel: $952.5 million (1.7%)
10. Fertilizers: $797 million (1.4%)

Ukraine’s top 10 imports were nearly two-thirds (64.8%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Not one of Ukraine’s top import categories grew from 2021 to 2022.

Year over year, the leading decliners were Ukrainian imports of fertilizers (down -52.1% from 2021), machinery including computers (down -47.5%), iron or steel metals (down -38.5%), then pharmaceuticals (down -37.8%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.

Information presented below is from the more granular 4-digit HTS code perspective.

Focusing on the 4-digit HTS codes, Ukraine’s top 10 imported products are refined petroleum oils (15.7% of the Ukrainian total), cars (5.3%), petroleum gases (3.8%), medication mixes in dosage (2.8%), coal including solid fuels made from coal (2.1%), phone devices including smartphones (1.8%), packaged insecticides, fungicides and herbicides (1.7%), tractors (1.4%), electric generating sets or converters (1.2%), then computers including optical readers (also 1.2%).

Ukraine’s Imports of Mineral Fuels Including Oil

In 2022, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related energy products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$8.7 billion (up 54% from 2021)
2. Petroleum gases: $2.1 billion (down -51.5%)
3. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.2 billion (down -52.7%)
4. Crude oil: $329.7 million (down -60.6%)
5. Coke, semi-coke: $174 million (down -50.4%)
6. Electrical energy: $172.4 million (up 97.7%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $132.9 million (down -74.1%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $16.2 million (up 15.2%)
9. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $7.6 million (down -57.7%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $5.5 million (down -49.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of electrical energy (up 97.7%), processed petroleum oils (up 54%), then petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 15.2%) grew from 2021 to 2022.

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 Vehicles

In 2022, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles-related goods.

1. Cars: US$2.9 billion (down -33.3% from 2021)
2. Tractors: $792.6 million (down -0.2%)
3. Trucks: $421.2 million (down -23.5%)
4. Automobile parts/accessories: $404.7 million (down -35.9%)
5. Trailers: $342.5 million (up 56.3%)
6. Special purpose vehicles: $151 million (down -9.9%)
7. Automobile bodies: $41.4 million (down -48.3%)
8. Public-transport vehicles: $39.2 million (down -26.7%)
9. Motorcycles: $37.3 million (down -41.2%)
10. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $12.7 million (down -63.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of trailers (up 56.3%) was the lone gainer from 2021 to 2022.

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 2022, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$1 billion (down -24.1% from 2021)
2. Electric generating sets, converters: $688.5 million (up 252%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $457.2 million (down -24.3%)
4. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $323.9 million (down -27.7%)
5. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $303.6 million (down -27.6%)
6. Electric storage batteries: $270.8 million (up 106.1%)
7. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $233.2 million (down -5%)
8. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $174.1 million (down -53.1%)
9. Electrical converters/power units: $171 million (down -29.2%)
10. Insulating fitting: $120.2 million (down -28.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Ukrainian purchases of electric generating sets or converters (up 252%) and electric storage batteries (up 106.1%) grew from 2021 to 2022.

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.

Ukraine’s Imports of Machinery Including Computers

In 2022, Ukrainian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$638 million (down -25.9% from 2021)
2. Harvest/threshing machinery: $280.2 million (down -39.7%)
3. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $203.5 million (down -35.9%)
4. Soil preparation or cultivation machinery: $189.7 million (down -49.5%)
5. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $175.1 million (down -42.5%)
6. Machinery for soil preparation, cultivation: $168 million (down -54.7%)
7. Liquid pumps and elevators: $143.5 million (down -41%)
8. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $131.8 million (down -38.9%)
9. Air or vacuum pumps: $124.7 million (down -37.3%)
10. Pneumatic hand tool: $114.7 million (down -31.4%)

Among these import subcategories, not one increased from 2021 to 2022.

The most modest decline was the -25.9% reduction compared to 2021 for Ukrainian purchases of computers including optical readers on international markets.

These amounts and the percentage changes within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery -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 24, 2023

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 24, 2023

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 24, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 24, 2023