Ukraine Shifts Focus to Bioethanol Exports After EU Rebuffs Wheat Quota Request
Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy is focusing on negotiating an increase in bioethanol export opportunities to the European Union, following a rejection of its request for a larger wheat quota. The EU currently has no plans to revise agricultural quotas or increase Ukrainian wheat imports.
The ministry suggests that Ukrainian exporters use a separate 2.3 million-ton quota for third countries with an attached tariff of €12 per ton. Meanwhile, the Ministry is pushing for additional access to the European market for around 60 thousand tons of bioethanol.
This decision comes as EU corn production has declined this year, making it a net importer of bioethanol. Additionally, Ukraine imports gasoline from the EU that contains a mandatory share of bioethanol. In essence, Ukraine is seeking permission to export an equivalent volume of bioethanol back to the EU.