Category: Freight

Regulatory correction: Kazakhstan’s competition authority ordered Food Contract Corporation to fix anticompetitive practices in grain transportation subsidy distribution. Process reform: Over 60% of subsidies had gone to a limited group, with application review times ranging from same-day to 80–112 days, prompting mandatory procedural changes. Digital transparency: A new electronic portal and public tracking of applications…

Bearish: Ukrainian rail grain transportation fell 27.3% in 2025 to 28.856 million tons amid weaker prices and logistical bottlenecks. Bearish: Export rail shipments declined 25.3% to 25.481 million tons, while domestic grain transport collapsed 42.9% to 3.024 million tons. Bearish: Seaports handled 92% of grain exports, highlighting concentrated infrastructure risk for Black Sea logistics. Neutral…

Structural capacity cut: Ukrzaliznytsia’s CTL branch plans to reduce its active grain car fleet to around 800 units by end-2026, tightening rail logistics for agricultural exports. Selective repairs: Only grain cars backed by confirmed long-term commitments will be repaired in 2025, limiting availability for spot or short-term shippers. Contractual imperative: Agricultural exporters are being pushed…

Neutral to Slightly Bearish for Black Sea: China’s growing role as a soybean oil exporter increases competition in key Asian markets traditionally supplied by Black Sea origins. Supportive for Palm Oil: Strong growth in Chinese palm oil imports signals sustained demand for cheaper vegetable oil alternatives over premium Black Sea oils. Moderately Supportive for Sunflower…

Top-5 exporter status: Agroprosperis shipped 3 million tons of grain and oilseeds from Ukraine in 2025, securing a leading role in the country’s export hierarchy. Domestic processing growth: An additional 20,000 tons of oilseeds were processed for the local market, signaling diversification beyond pure export flows. Logistics resilience: Sustained volumes via Black Sea export corridors…

Bearish logistics: Ukrainian grain rail exports to the EU fell sharply in 2025, with overall volumes via key land corridors down to about 1.45 million tons. Route disruption: Rail transfers to Poland and Romania plunged 77% and 88% respectively, signaling severe pressure on traditional western export routes. Cost pressure: Reduced rail capacity and higher dependence…

Export Surge: Kazakhstan’s feed meal exports jumped 157% year-on-year to 2.65 million tons in Jan–Nov 2025. China-Driven Demand: China absorbed 98.9% of volumes, importing 2.62 million tons versus 1.02 million tons a year earlier. Regional Growth: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia all expanded purchases, supporting broader regional trade flows. Logistics Impact: Strong eastbound rail flows to…

Expansion: Ukraine opened 19 new agricultural export markets in 2025 across North America, Asia, the Balkans, and the Middle East despite ongoing war conditions. Product breadth: New access covers eggs, dairy, peas, fishery products, feed and non-food animal products, poultry, processed foods, and apples. High-value destinations: China, Canada, Oman, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Chile enhance Ukraine’s…

Export slowdown: Ukraine’s agricultural exports fell 8.8% in 2025 to $22.53 billion, reducing foreign currency inflows. EU pivot: The EU share of Ukrainian agro-exports dropped below half, to 47.5% ($10.7 billion), amid logistics and regulatory shifts. Trade balance pressure: Ukraine’s agricultural trade surplus with the EU narrowed sharply from $8.87 billion to $6.06 billion. Sector…

Export Growth: Russian agricultural exports to China reached $6.7 billion in Jan–Nov 2025, up 14% year-on-year, reinforcing China’s role as Russia’s top food buyer. Rapeseed Oil Surge: Rapeseed oil shipments to China jumped 42% to exceed $1.2 billion, becoming the second-largest agricultural export after frozen fish. Commodity Concentration: China remained the largest buyer of Russian rapeseed oil,…