Ukraine from March 1 through March 17, 2020 increased imports of food by 40,000 tonnes year-over-year, to 158,000 tonnes with the cost being $211 million, the State Customs Service said on Thursday. “Some 40,000 tonnes of food products more were brought to Ukraine during 17 days of March compared with the same period in 2019. In general, food imports amounted to 158,000 tonnes worth $211 million. This is almost 8,000 completely filled trucks carrying 20 tonnes,” the customs authority wrote on its page in the Facebook social network.
According to the authority, the supply of cheese, eggs, honey tripled and amounted to 3,177 tonnes worth $13.6 million, imports of finished products from grain, flour, flour confectionery products rose by 86%, to 6,166 tons worth $12.3 million.
Deliveries of vegetables, some edible roots and potatoes increased 138%, to 38,900 tonnes worth $20.4 million.
The milk and milk group of goods showed growth by 163%, to 921 tonnes worth $1.2 million, fish imports – by 73%, to 2,493 tonnes worth $14 million.
Deliveries of coffee, tea, mate and spices increased by some 33%, to 1,293 tonnes worth $4.3 million, extracts, essences and coffee concentrates, syrups, sauces, soups, etc. grew by 23%, to 3,854 tonnes worth $25.1 million.
Import of fruits and nuts also increased slightly, by 3%, to 45,837 tonnes worth $33.9 million.
Businessman Rinat Akhmetov will send UAH 300 million to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus, combining all the resources of the charity foundation, DTEK and Metinvest, FC Shakhtar and all the assets of his financial and industrial holding SCM to help Ukraine, according to the foundation.
“Coronavirus is a disaster that the modern world has encountered on such a scale, probably for the first time. I’m absolutely sure that in this situation everyone should think how exactly he can help Ukraine and Ukrainians,” Akhmetov said.
Under the decision of the founder, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation will purchase another 300,000 rapid tests for coronavirus for the whole of Ukraine, which will be transferred to the Stabilization Fund, initiated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in the shortest possible time. In addition, at least 200 respiratory medical devices and other equipment will be purchased.
“In cooperation with the Ministry of Health, we will do everything possible to prevent an epidemic of coronavirus in the cities of our presence and throughout the country. Only by combining our efforts in the face of danger we can make Ukraine cope with all the challenges that it faces,” the businessman said.
The foundation recalled that earlier, according to Akhmetov’s decision, equipment for the effective treatment of coronavirus complications had already been purchased and handed over to the Ministry of Health: high-quality Servo-I Universal and Servo Air respiratory medical devices of Swedish manufacture and other equipment.
Dniprospetsstal Electrometallurgical Plant (Zaporizhia) increased finished steel production by 4.4% in January-February 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, to 23,160 tonnes, steel production increased by 4.6%, to 32,788 tonnes. According to the company’s press release, some 18,639 tonnes of steel were smelted in February, which is 31.7% higher than in January. Finished steel production amounted to 12,352 tonnes in February, which is 14.3% more than in January.
The total cost of commodity products produced in February 2020 amounted to UAH 509.833 million in current prices, for the two months of 2020 it amounted to over UAH 1.032 billion (commodity production amounted to over UAH 1.355 billion in January-February 2019, and it amounted to UAH 594.671 million in February 2019).
“In February, the plan for steel delivery at steel melt workshop No.5, powder metal workshop and drop hammer workshop was exceeded. In comparison with the planned tasks, the shipments to forge and press workshop and the hot pressing department of powder metal workshop were increased,” the press release says.
A test system for diagnosing Covid-19, developed in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, is being prepared for release, the press service for the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences said.
“The developed test system is being prepared for release in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences,” the academy press service said on Thursday.
According to the press service for the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, scientists from the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics started working on domestic test systems in January 2020 on the orders of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council following reports on an epidemic of the new coronavirus in the Hubei province of the People’s Republic of China.
“In that time, the institute has designed and synthesized four nucleic primers that meet the most specific sequences in the virus genome. Preparations have been made for tests of the lab version of the original test system for diagnosing the coronavirus 2019-nCoV, which is not under patent protection of foreign test systems,” the press service said.
Besides, the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences has developed and put into operation some drugs, including those with antiviral effect, for use in medical practice.
According to preliminary data, JSC Kharkiv Tractor Plant, belonged to DCH Group of businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, completed 2019 with a net profit of UAH 71.8 million, whereas the loss was UAH 81.4 million in 2018.
According to information on the agenda of the shareholders’ general meeting on April 23, the uncovered loss amounted to UAH 582.76 million by the beginning of 2019 (UAH 654.06 million in 2018).
The draft decision of the meeting provides for directing the net profit received in 2019 to replenish working assets, not to pay dividends.
According to the plant, in 2019, its current liabilities decreased 6.8%, to UAH 1.374 billion, long-term ones increased 45%, to UAH 266 million.
The total receivables as of January 1, 2020 amounted to UAH 155.4 million (UAH 96.71 million in 2019), total assets were UAH 1.280 billion (1.262 billion).
The plant’s equity capital has a negative value of UAH 362.75 million, charter capital was UAH 4.35 million by the beginning of 2020.
According to the plant’s website, it produced 585 units of equipment in 2019 (12% more than in 2018) and sold 638 units (16% more). The plant’s revenue increased by 22%, to almost UAH 800 million.
To date, the plant has about 1,100 employees; the average salary is UAH 10,000 (UAH 7,800 by the beginning of 2019).
Kharkiv Tractor Plant, founded in 1930, currently produces dozens of models of tractors and special-purpose equipment designed for work in agriculture, public utilities and construction areas. The main product range is represented by small tractors with a capacity of 35 hp, as well as large wheeled and tracked tractors with a capacity of 150-280 hp.
Ukraine’s Revel Laboratory is switching their 3D printers to print valves for artificial lungs ventilation machines due to a lack of them amid the coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic, the co-founder of the company, David Stavnitser, wrote on his Facebook page.
“Tough times require innovative solutions. That is why Revel Laboratory is switching all its 3D printers to the production of valves for artificial lungs ventilation machines. Our Italian colleagues, Isinnova, came up with this solution. Such a valve allows connecting two patients to one lungs ventilation machine,” he said.
According to him, the company has already contacted the Italian colleagues and will soon receive technical specifications and 3D models of the required valves.
Revel Laboratory asks hospitals experiencing interruptions in the supply of valves or which need additional supplies to contact them, as well as manufacturers of plastic for 3D printing, which can deliver Nylon P12 (1.75 or 2.85 mm) approved for use in medicine.
