KYIV. Jan 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Frunze Plant (Kharkiv), the leading Ukrainian manufacturer of fencing systems, plans to increase its presence in the European market and is studying the issue of setting up production in Kazakhstan or Belarus to compensate for losses from the abolition of a free trade area (FTA) regime between Russia and Ukraine.
According to a press release from the company, with reference to its board chairman Oleksandr Vasylenko, January showed that exports of goods to Russia are becoming much more expensive.
“Duties of 6% to 15% were imposed on our products. In addition, Russian customs officers, guided by internal documents, sometimes increase the price of products by almost two times that simultaneously raises the amount of VAT for our trading partners,” he said.
In addition, he said the devaluation of the ruble plays into the hands of Russian manufacturers making similar products.
Frunze Plant, founded in 1885, produces screens for agriculture machinery, flooring grills, netting and fencing systems for the construction industry, elements of urban environment (waste baskets, benches), storage racks and others.
