Ukraine’s Sugar Exports Through Constanta Could Cost $50 More per Ton

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Exporting Ukrainian sugar through the Romanian port of Constanta could add about $50 per ton to logistics costs, according to Ukrtsukor head Yana Kavushevska.
• The additional cost is significant because Ukrainian sugar is currently trading at around $400 per ton, making transport through Constanta substantially more expensive.
• Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports have made traditional maritime export routes increasingly difficult, forcing exporters to rely more heavily on land-based logistics.
• Ukraine exported 622,000 tons of sugar during the first 11 months of the 2025/26 marketing year, already exceeding the roughly 580,000 tons exported during the previous season.
• Ukrtsukor expects domestic sugar production to fall below its earlier 1.2 million-ton forecast, while domestic consumption is estimated at 800,000–900,000 tons.

Exporting Ukrainian sugar through Romania’s Constanta port could cost about $50 more per ton because of the additional rail and container logistics required to reach the port, according to Yana Kavushevska, head of Ukraine’s national sugar producers’ association Ukrtsukor. The higher cost could make Ukrainian sugar less competitive on international markets at a time when exporters are already facing disruption to traditional maritime routes.

Constanta Route Could Add $50 per Ton

Ukraine’s sugar industry is increasingly dependent on alternative export routes because of the difficult situation around the country’s Black Sea ports.

Kavushevska said that transporting sugar by rail to Constanta and then continuing by container is currently too expensive. She estimated the additional cost at approximately $50 per ton.

The increase is substantial when compared with the current sugar price. Kavushevska cited a price of around $400 per ton, meaning that an additional $50 in logistics represents roughly one-eighth of the commodity’s value before other export costs are considered.

Black Sea Disruptions Are Changing Export Routes

The logistics problem is closely connected to Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure.

Traditional maritime destinations for Ukrainian sugar have included countries in the Middle East and other markets that are difficult to reach competitively through land routes.

According to Ukrtsukor, during the first 11 months of the 2025/26 marketing year, about 19% of Ukrainian sugar exports went to the European Union. Uzbekistan and Lebanon were also among the largest destinations, followed by Syria. Several of these markets normally depend on maritime transportation.

With maritime routes becoming more difficult, exporters are increasingly looking for alternatives through neighboring countries.

Europe Becomes More Important

The disruption to maritime exports has increased the importance of the European market for Ukrainian sugar producers.

Ukraine currently has a 100,000-ton duty-free sugar quota for the European Union, according to Ukrtsukor. The association would welcome additional access if the EU expands the available quota.

Western Balkan countries outside the EU are another potential market because Ukrainian sugar can reach them using land transportation.

However, the competitiveness of these routes depends heavily on transport costs.

Ukraine Has Already Exported More Than Last Year

Despite the logistical difficulties, Ukrainian sugar exports have performed better than some earlier forecasts suggested.

As of August 7, Ukraine had exported 622,000 tons of sugar during the 2025/26 marketing year, according to Kavushevska.

That figure was already above the approximately 580,000 tons exported during the previous marketing year. She said exports could have been even higher if Ukrainian ports had not been disrupted.

The result shows that demand for Ukrainian sugar remains strong despite the challenges surrounding logistics.

Central Asia Has Returned as a Market

One of the more significant developments has been the return of Central Asian buyers.

Uzbekistan became an important destination for Ukrainian sugar during the second half of the marketing year after disruptions to traditional supply routes from the Middle East created demand for alternative suppliers.

Kavushevska said Ukrainian sugar regained access to a market that had previously been considered extremely difficult to serve because of the high cost of logistics.

The development could provide Ukrainian producers with additional export opportunities if transportation routes remain viable.

Production Is Expected to Decline

At the same time, Ukraine is heading toward a smaller sugar harvest and lower production than in the previous season.

Kavushevska said the earlier forecast of approximately 1.2 million tons of sugar production could be reduced by another 100,000–200,000 tons because of difficult growing conditions and losses in sugar beet acreage.

She said approximately 162,000 hectares of sugar beet were initially planted, but around 3,000 hectares had been lost by August because of adverse weather.

The condition of the remaining crop was also described as less favorable than in the previous record season.

Ukraine May Have Less Sugar Available for Export

Lower production does not necessarily mean a shortage on the domestic market.

Ukrtsukor estimates domestic consumption at around 800,000–900,000 tons, leaving a smaller volume available for export after accounting for production and carryover stocks.

Kavushevska estimated that Ukraine could have around 200,000–300,000 tons available for export beyond the EU quota, depending on final production and market conditions.

This would represent a much more balanced market than during previous seasons, when Ukraine produced substantially more sugar than it consumed domestically.

Global Prices Could Determine Whether Exports Remain Viable

The economics of Ukrainian sugar exports will depend heavily on international prices.

If global sugar prices rise sufficiently, exporters may be able to absorb the higher transportation costs associated with routes through Constanta.

Kavushevska said that if market conditions allow Ukrainian sugar to remain competitive despite the expensive logistics, exporters could continue serving traditional markets.

However, if global prices remain too low, the additional $50 per ton could make some destinations commercially unviable.

Ukrainian Sugar Producers Are Also Facing Higher Costs

Logistics are not the only pressure facing the Ukrainian sugar industry.

Producers are dealing with higher fuel, labor and production costs while domestic sugar prices have remained relatively low.

Kavushevska said the current wholesale sugar price is around 22.60 hryvnias per kilogram, while producers would need approximately 32–35 hryvnias per kilogram to achieve at least minimal profitability if production costs reach around 30 hryvnias.

She warned that without higher prices, sugar beet producers could eventually stop planting the crop after several seasons of losses.

A More Balanced Sugar Market

The current season could nevertheless mark a significant change for Ukraine’s sugar industry.

In previous years, high production created a substantial surplus that producers struggled to sell both domestically and internationally.

This year, lower production combined with strong domestic consumption and more limited export opportunities could produce a much more balanced market.

That could help support prices, although it also means Ukraine will have less flexibility to increase exports rapidly if foreign demand rises.

The Route Through Constanta Remains Uncertain

For now, the biggest question is whether Ukrainian exporters will be able to maintain reliable access to Constanta at a cost that makes commercial sense.

Kavushevska said exporters can currently use the route, but there is uncertainty over whether they will be able to continue transporting sugar to the Romanian port in the required volumes.

The situation demonstrates how vulnerable agricultural exports remain to disruptions in Ukraine’s maritime infrastructure.

Alternative routes provide an important safety net, but they cannot always replicate the efficiency and scale of direct maritime exports.

Ukraine’s Sugar Industry Faces a New Export Challenge

Ukraine remains capable of exporting significant quantities of sugar, and demand for its product has not disappeared.

The problem is increasingly the cost of getting that sugar to international buyers.

With the Constanta route potentially adding around $50 per ton, Ukrainian exporters must balance higher logistics costs against international prices, available EU quotas and demand in alternative markets.

The situation also demonstrates why access to reliable Black Sea export routes remains critical for Ukraine’s agricultural economy.

Ukraine’s sugar industry is entering the new marketing year with lower expected production, stronger pressure on domestic prices and a more difficult export environment. If maritime routes remain disrupted, the ability to move sugar through Constanta and other alternative corridors could become essential, but the additional $50-per-ton logistics cost may limit the competitiveness of Ukrainian sugar on some international markets.