Ukraine has sent a large shipment of corn to China for the first time in 8 months: delivery details

Shipment of Corn to China

According to ХВИЛЯ: Ukraine has sent a large shipment of corn to China for the first time in eight months. A Panamax-class vessel with 58,800 tons of Ukrainian corn departed in mid-December 2025. This shipment became the first large delivery of agricultural products from Ukraine to China in the 2025-2026 season. The last shipment of a vessel of this class to China occurred in April 2025.

The export of corn to China in the current season has significantly decreased. Since the beginning of the season, only 190,000 tons of corn have been exported to China, while in the 2023/24 season the export volume was 4.6 million tons. As of December 18, 2025, the total export of corn from Ukraine reached 1.31 million tons.

Geography and Export Forecasts

The leading countries in purchasing corn today are:

• Turkey - 365,000 tons
• Italy - 312,000 tons

The geography of Ukrainian corn exports also includes Europe, which takes 41% of the volumes, and the Middle East with 40%. Asia, including China and South Korea, accounts for only 11% of exports.

USDA forecasts regarding Ukrainian harvest for the 2025/26 season have worsened, and the gross corn yield is expected to be at 29 million tons. This information indicates the challenges faced by the Ukrainian agricultural sector under current conditions.

The importance of this corn shipment to China lies in the fact that it indicates the restoration of trade ties between Ukraine and China after a long break.

However, the significant reduction in export volumes compared to previous seasons indicates serious problems faced by Ukrainian agriculture, including deteriorating harvest forecasts. This may affect the overall economic situation in the country and the need to diversify markets for Ukrainian agricultural products.