Ukraine's flax gross harvest expected to hit record 66,000 tonnes in 2025/26 season – analysts

Oilseed flax remains a niche crop in Ukraine, yet its gross harvest in the 2025/2026 marketing year is expected to reach 66,000 tonnes, the highest result since the 2017/18, reported the UkrAgroConsult information and analytical publication.

"Production is subject to fluctuations influenced by market factors and weather. A stable expansion of sown areas began in 2020. Growth is supported by demand from the EU, the main flax importer... The combination of expanded acreage and improved yields proved decisive. A partial recovery in yields is observed in the 2024/25 MY, though it remains below the crop's potential," the analysts explained.

The experts noted that exports remain the key market driver – over 80% of Ukraine's 2024/25 flax harvest is shipped abroad. This share has more than doubled during the war years.

The main sales destination for flax is the EU (with Italy, Poland, and Belgium being the top importers). Since the start of the full-scale war, EU countries have significantly reduced their purchases of Russian flax, reorienting toward alternative suppliers from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Canada.

However, following an export peak in the 2023/24 (over 70,000 tonnes), shipments from Ukraine decreased by approximately 24% in the 2024/25.

"The Ukrainian oilseed flax market is entering a phase of stable recovery. The crop is gradually regaining its position in the sowing structure, forming a new niche for small and medium-sized agricultural producers. Provided there is export support and processing development, flax has the potential to establish itself as a promising alternative crop for the country's northern regions, which are increasingly facing weather risks," UkrAgroConsult concluded.