Ukraine Seeks Bioethanol Quota Increase as Current Limit Nears Exhaustion

Ukraine's Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi has announced that the country plans to seek an increase in its bioethanol export quota to the European Union, as the current limit of 125,000 metric tons per year is nearing exhaustion. With 101,000 tons already used, there are only about 24,000 tons left before the quota is fully exhausted.

Vysotskyi stated that Ukraine will then seek a review of the quota, citing the country's increased production capacity and the EU's need for these products. He noted that there are virtually no alternative foreign markets for Ukrainian bioethanol, and that restricting exports would leave only the domestic market and pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries as consumers.

The minister also emphasized that expanding bioethanol production could help process surplus corn, which Ukraine produces at a rate of 25 million tons annually. However, he acknowledged that domestic processing alone will not fully address the corn surplus, and called for mechanisms to be found for safe exports to avoid losing market positions.