Agricultural exports account for more than 50% of Ukraine’s total exports, up 4.5% compared to March 2024, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a government meeting on Friday.
As he wrote on Telegram, “agricultural exports remain the basis for our trade and account for more than 50% of everything Ukraine sells abroad.”
Shmyhal also informed that last year, exports of Ukrainian goods increased by 13%, and in March of this year, the positive dynamics of export growth continued – plus 4.5% compared to March last year.
“In the face of global trade turbulence, the Ukrainian government will strengthen support for national producers and Ukrainian exporters. We have provided all the necessary tools for this,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
At the same time, he reminded that the “Made in Ukraine” program, in particular, provides UAH 500 million for compensation for the purchase of Ukrainian agricultural machinery. The state compensates farmers for up to 25% of the cost of this equipment if it is made in Ukraine.
“In total, this year we will allocate more than UAH 6 billion from the budget to support the agricultural sector alone,” Shmyhal emphasized.
As reported, Ukraine exported 9.98 million tons of goods worth $3.6 billion in March 2025.
Zaporozhkoks, one of Ukraine’s largest coke producers and a member of Metinvest Group, reduced its blast furnace coke production by 3% year-on-year to 209.7 thousand tons from 214.8 thousand tons in January-March this year.
According to the company, it produced 74.1 thousand tons of coke in March, while in the previous month it produced 61.2 thousand tons.
As reported, Zaporozhkoks increased its blast furnace coke production by 2.1% in 2024 compared to 2023 – to 874.7 thousand tons from 856.8 thousand tons.
“In 2023, Zaporozhkoks increased its blast furnace coke output by 16% compared to 2022, up to 856.8 thousand tons from 737.4 thousand tons.
“Zaporozhkoks produces about 10% of coke in Ukraine and has a full technological cycle of coke products processing. It also produces coke oven gas and pitch coke.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated mining group of companies. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
A Ukrainian woman has won the individual all-around at the opening round of the World Cup in rhythmic gymnastics in Sofia, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine has announced.
From April 4 to 6, the Bulgarian capital Sofia is hosting the opening stage of the World Cup in rhythmic gymnastics as part of the new competition season. Ukraine is represented at the tournament by two gymnasts in the individual competition and the national team in group exercises.
Taisiya Onofriichuk, a participant of the Paris Olympics, won the individual all-around. She was 3.8 points ahead of her closest rival from Bulgaria and won a gold medal at the World Cup for the first time in her career.
This is the 16-year-old Ukrainian’s fourth consecutive victory in the all-around this season, having previously won gold three times at the Grand Prix.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in a Facebook post on Saturday that “the market has spoken” after the US announced new trade tariffs.
“The trade and tariff war that the United States has launched against the whole world is unprovoked and unjustified,” he said.
Guo Jiakun called on the United States to stop “doing the wrong thing” and resolve differences with trading partners through equal consultations.
This follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs on goods from 185 foreign trading partners of the United States, including 34% duties on Chinese goods. In response to this step, China decided to impose additional duties on American goods in the amount of 34%, which will take effect on April 10.
Zaporizhzhia-based Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works increased its rolled steel output by 3.5% year-on-year to 636.7 thousand tons from 615.3 thousand tons in January-March this year.
According to the company’s press release on Wednesday, steel production for the period amounted to 748.4 thousand tons (731 thousand tons in January-March 2014), and pig iron production – 849.6 thousand tons (785.4 thousand tons).
In March, Zaporizhstal produced 296.6 thousand tons of pig iron (265.4 thousand tons in February), 270.1 thousand tons of steel (235.3 thousand tons) and shipped 226 thousand tons of rolled products (195.7 thousand tons).
As reported, in 2024, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled products output by 18.1% compared to 2023 – to 2 million 426.7 thousand tons from 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel – by 17.2% to 2 million 890.8 thousand tons, and pig iron – by 14.2% to 3 million 106.3 thousand tons.
“In 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled steel output by 57.2% compared to 2022, to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries of the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Ukraine and France have signed seven agreements in the healthcare sector worth a total of EUR 51 million, including the construction of a children’s rehabilitation center in Vinnytsia and the reconstruction of a rehabilitation department in Ladyzhyn (partner – Ginger International, funding amount – EUR 15 million).
According to the Ministry of Health, the agreements also provide for the provision of portable X-ray machines to 75 medical institutions in 5 regions: Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipro, Mykolaiv and Odesa (partner – DMS Imaging, the amount of funding is EUR 10.98 million), providing 58 hospitals throughout Ukraine with the latest technologies for rehabilitation after amputations (partner – Dessintey, the amount of funding is EUR 8 million).
Also, agreements were signed for the purchase of 700 mechanized cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices (EUR 5.92 million), development of telemedicine networks in Odesa, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zhytomyr regions (partner – C3Medical, amount of funding – EUR 4.35 million), creation of a network of autonomous micro-clinics based on rehabilitation facilities in Kyiv, Lviv and Poltava (partner – Schiller Medical, the amount of funding is EUR 4.1 million), as well as provision of 150 ultrasound diagnostic systems in medical institutions in all regions of Ukraine (partner – Sonoscanner, the amount of funding is EUR 2.98 million).
The Ministry of Health notes that, taking into account the agreements signed today, France has allocated a total of EUR 130 million to support the medical sector of Ukraine. The projects will be funded by the French government and implemented through French medical companies.
The grant agreement between the French and Ukrainian governments provides for the implementation of 12 more projects in the areas of infrastructure, energy, demining, and water supply worth about €149 million.
