Decrease in grain transportation volumes in 2025
In 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia recorded a significant decrease in grain transportation volumes, transporting 28.86 million tons. This figure is the lowest in the last ten years and is 27.3% less than in 2024, which accounted for 10.85 million tons.
Export grain transport amounted to 25.48 million tons, which also marks a decrease of 25% compared to the previous year. Domestic transportation of grain cargo fell even more — by 43%, to 3 million tons. This decline is driven by various factors, including the tariff policy of Ukrzaliznytsia, which involves a 40% increase in freight rates. It is worth noting that the tariff catalog of Ukrzaliznytsia has not been revised since 2009.
Expert Comments
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“This is the lowest level of railway grain transportation in the last ten years.” - Valerii Tkachov
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“The increase in freight rates by 20% leads to an almost proportional decline in cargo flow by 19%.” - Anatolii Amelin
Volodymyr Husak also noted that “the increase in rates by Ukrzaliznytsia even before the war led to a loss of about 10% of cargo.” The Minister of Economy pointed out that “simply raising rates will not yield results.”
The situation with grain transportation through Ukrzaliznytsia reflects serious challenges for the agricultural sector of Ukraine. The decrease in transportation volumes may negatively affect agriculture as it complicates farmers' access to markets. The further development of events in this area will require a review of the tariff policy and the search for new strategies to support the competitiveness of Ukrainian farmers.