Global Flax Market Set for Change in Leadership

This was reported by oilseed market analyst Svitlana Kuprieieva in a UkrAgroConsult article.

Kazakhstan’s share of EU flax imports has already increased to 47%, while russia’s share has declined to 6%. Kazakhstan is strengthening its position thanks to the scale of production and competitive prices, although it is constrained by lengthy overland logistics.

Ukraine cannot yet compete with Kazakhstan in terms of volumes, but it has the advantages of geographical proximity to the EU and supply flexibility. According to the expert, flax could become a promising niche crop for Ukraine, provided that production, logistics, storage, post-harvest handling and product traceability are developed.

The displacement of russian flax from the European market is a long-term trend and creates opportunities for Kazakhstan and Ukraine.