Ukraine’s ferrous scrap sector recorded notable growth in exports during the period from January to November 2025, with exports of iron and steel scrap increasing by 45.3% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching approximately 380.16 thousand tons. This volume has already exceeded last year’s total shipments by more than 86 thousand tons, according to calculations by the GMK Center based on data from the State Customs Service of Ukraine.
Poland remained the main destination for Ukrainian scrap exports, receiving about 309.53 thousand tons over the 11-month period, accounting for 68.5% of total exports and representing an increase of 38.5% year-on-year. Exports also totaled 27.97 thousand tons to Greece (+7.3% y/y) and 8.72 thousand tons to Bulgaria (+172.3% y/y), while shipments to Germany amounted to 4.93 thousand tons, down 22% year-on-year.
In November alone, Ukrainian companies exported approximately 34.97 thousand tons of scrap, marking a 1% increase year-on-year and a 4.8% rise month-on-month.
In terms of revenue, scrap export earnings in November rose by 2.6% month-on-month and 4.6% year-on-year, reaching around $9.73 million. Over the January–November period, revenues increased by 37.4% year-on-year to approximately $112.78 million.
It is worth noting that Ukraine’s scrap exports in 2024 increased by 60% compared to 2023, reaching 293.2 thousand tons. In 2023, exports exceeded 182.5 thousand tons, equivalent to 3.4 times the level recorded in 2022, when shipments totaled 54.1 thousand tons. Poland, Greece, and Germany were the leading importers of Ukrainian scrap during the past year.
