Obstacles to exports: UCAB calls on UZ and government to reconsider decisions regarding grain carriers

UCAB expressed concern about the intentions of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” to effectively completely restrict access of private railcar fleet to 1435 mm bogies from October 1.

This was reported by the association of the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB).

According to the association’s experts, today the economy of Ukraine critically depends on the uninterrupted operation of the agricultural sector and stable exports.

“However, instead of optimizing logistics routes in wartime conditions, JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” continues to implement solutions that create additional obstacles for business and reduce the competitiveness of Ukrainian products on the world market,” the association said in a statement.

UKAB expressed concern about the intentions of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” to effectively completely restrict access of private railcar fleet to 1435 mm bogies from October 1, 2026. The proposed mechanism, which provides for their use exclusively under the CTL wagons (UZ fleet) and sale through the “Prozorro.Sales” auctions, is unacceptable.

“A significant part of grain trucks belongs to private businesses that have invested in them. Artificially restricting access to carts will only lead to cargo delays, an increase in logistics costs and a decrease in overall export volumes,” the association noted.

The UCAB added that this initiative looks especially risky against the backdrop of the negative consequences of the recent increase in railway tariffs, due to which UZ has already begun to rapidly lose its cargo base. After an increase in cost by $5-7 (against the background of an increase in logistics costs towards Romanian ports by $60), rail transportation has become unprofitable for many farmers.

“Instead of stimulating exports, UZ is losing its cargo base. Today, the western border crossings are loaded only by a third – about 300 thousand tons of grain cargo are transported with the existing potential of over a million tons. At the same time, the agricultural sector and metallurgists continue to subsidize passenger and other unprofitable types of transportation at their own expense,” the experts of the Ukrainian Association of Railways of Ukraine emphasize.

The business also emphasizes that the use of the infrastructure of a natural monopolist should be aimed at ensuring maximum transportation volumes, and not at increasing profits from individual services manually.

The association also declared its readiness to join the creation of a transparent methodology for calculating tariffs, which will be based on fair cost, and requires automation of calculations of types of transportation at the planning stage.

In view of this, the Ukrainian Association of Railways of Ukraine called on Ukrzaliznytsia and the government:

— Immediately review the decision to restrict access of the private fleet to 1435 mm bogies and prevent its implementation from 01.10.2026.

— Stop the practice of cross-subsidization and develop a new methodology for tariff formation based on the principle of fair cost with the participation of specialized businesses.

Recall that in May 2026, the UCAB called on UZ to refuse to increase freight transportation tariffs.