Exports of goods from Ukraine fell by 19.6% in the first quarter of 2023

The negative balance of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods in January-April 2023 increased 39.8 times compared to the same period in 2022, reaching $7.04 billion from $0.18 billion.

According to the State Statistics Service, exports of goods from Ukraine fell by 19.6% to $13.33 billion in the period under review. Imports of goods to Ukraine increased by 21.5% to $20.37 billion.

For the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022:

• Exports of plastics and polymeric materials fell by 61.5% to $87.701 million.
  Imports increased by 23.4%.
• Exports of wood and articles of wood fell by 20.1% to $510.106 million.
  Imports decreased by 31.1%.
• Exports of aluminum and preparations thereof increased by 6.5% to $31.444 million.
  Imports increased by 18.8%.
• Exports of glass and preparations thereof fell by 20.4% to $50.975 million.
  Imports increased by 18%.

According to the ITC Trade Map, in the first quarter of 2023, Ukraine exported plastic windows and doors mainly to Germany, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Canada.
Float glass was imported from Poland, Bulgaria, belarus (despite shelling and threats from this territory), Azerbaijan, and Romania. For example, double-glazed windows manufacturer Glas Tresh (Euroglas) almost entirely works with its Poland glass.

Average prices in April 2023 compared to April 2022:

• Plastics and polymeric materials: exports — +23%, imports — -6%.
• Wood and articles of wood: exports — -12.1%, imports — +7.7%.
• Aluminum and preparations thereof: exports — +32.8%, imports — +0.4%.
• Glass and preparations thereof: exports — -10.5%, imports — -4.3%.

Also, in June 2023, industrial enterprises expected that in the next three months, selling prices would increase and the number of employees would decrease.