In Ukraine, it was proposed to bypass the blockade of ports: to put un-exported grain on gasoline

Grain accumulates in Ukraine and cannot be taken out after the Russian army retaliates against ports and ships in the Black Sea. In this situation, the non—exported grain is proposed to be used for ethanol and thereby reduce dependence on gasoline imports - as is done in Asia and South America.

The German automaker BMW has prepared cars for the use of fuel with a high ethanol content. This was stated by the head of the Indian division, Hardeep Singh Brar.

"The Indian case is a clear demonstration of where the global automotive industry is heading, and we have Ukraine has all the prerequisites not just to imitate this trend, but to turn it into a strategic advantage," writes Sergey Makogon, ex-director of the Ukrainian GTS Operator.

According to him, grain exports due to seaports are now almost paralyzed, at the same time, Ukraine annually produces tens of millions of tons of grain (about 14 million tons of wheat and 25 million tons of corn for export are expected in the 2025/26 season).

"The solution is processing instead of raw exports: Ukraine's bioethanol industry is already showing explosive growth — over the past year, production capacity has increased by 160% (more than 2.5 times), according to the Ministry of Economy… The export of Ukrainian bioethanol to the EU in the first half of 2026 increased by 10.6%," Serhiy Makogon writes.

Ukraine imports 100% gasoline and an increase in the share of ethanol in the fuel mixture, and for Brazilians it reaches 30%, reduces the need for pure gasoline for every liter of refueled fuel, says the former head of the operator of the gas transmission system of Ukraine.

"For Ukraine, this is a window of opportunity in two directions at once: the agricultural sector receives a new crop sales channel bypassing blocked ports, and the country's energy security depends less on imported petroleum products," Serhiy Makogon added.