The most valuable Ukrainian imports also include coal, cars and tractors. Medication is another area where Ukraine shows strong domestic demand which foreign suppliers are satisfying.
The following list shows on which product categories Ukrainian importers spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level. This can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which Ukraine has strong demand perhaps competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation satisfying that demand can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent year’s data, please see the link to Ukraine’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Ukrainian Import Products
Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to Ukrainian importers in 2015. Shown within brackets is the change in value for each imported product since 2011.
- Petroleum gases: US$4.7 billion (Down -66.9% from 2011 to 2015)
- Processed petroleum oils: $3.8 billion (Down -45.2%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.6 billion (Down -40.9%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $1.1 billion (Down -55.6%)
- Cars: $820 million (Down -72.5%)
- Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides: $648.9 million (Down -0.3%)
- Nuclear reactors, fuel elements: $646.8 million (Up 7.7%)
- Phone system devices: $634 million (Down -19.5%)
- Fertilizer mixes: $455 million (Down -3.1%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $400.5 million (Down -28.2%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $392.3 million (Up 547.8%)
- Ethylene polymers: $359.6 million (Down -39.6%)
- Computers, optical readers: $304.4 million (Up 23.7%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $281.4 million (Down -51.8%)
- Unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco waste: $265 million (Down -20.1%)
- Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips: $252.4 million (Down -38.5%)
- Rubber tires (new): $251.4 million (Down -53.7%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $232.1 million (Down -37.2%)
- Tractors: $229.3 million (Down -59%)
- Polyacetal/ether/carbonates: $223.7 million (Down -45.9%)
Only three top Ukrainian import product categories increases in value from 2011 to 2015: coke and semi-coke (up 547.85), computers including optical readers (up 23.7%) as well as nuclear reactors and fuel elements (up 7.7%).
Leading the value decliners were imported cars (down -72.5%), petroleum gases (down -66.9%) and tractors (down -59%).
See also Ukraine’s Top Trading Partners, Ukraine’s Top 10 Imports and Capital Facts for Kiev, Ukraine
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 6, 2016
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on December 6, 2016
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on December 6, 2016