According to tentative data, Ukrainian banks posted an almost three-fold rise in profit in 2019, reaching UAH 60 billion, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Kateryna Rozhkova has said.
“UAH 60 billion is profit of the banking sector in 2019, according to tentative data. Almost three times more than a year ago. A new historic record,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Thursday.
Ukraine in January 2020 imported 596,336 tonnes of petroleum products (according to foreign trade activity code 2710, petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil, jet fuel, etc.), which is 13.4% less than in the same period of 2019.
According to the State Fiscal Service, petroleum products were imported in the amount of $371.751 million, which is 12.6% less than in January 2019.
Fuel imports from Russia amounted to $147.083 million (a share of 39.56%), Belarus to $135.742 million (36.51%), Lithuania to $50.011 million (13.45%), from other countries to $38.915 million (10.47%).
In addition, in January 2020, Ukraine exported 27,223 tonnes (46.5% less compared to January 2019) of petroleum products for a total amount of $15.698 million (23.5% less). The cost of fuel delivered to contractors from Latvia amounted to $3.781 million, Hungary some $2.09 million, Ireland some $1.24 million, and from other countries some $8.587 million.
The introduction of 4G communication in subway is the issue of the national scale, it is possible to implement the project in due time, according to participants in a meeting devoted to the launch of 4G communication in Kyiv’s subway held by the Kyiv City Council with representatives of the Kyiv City Administration, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Verkhovna Rada, municipal enterprises, mobile communications operators and Internet associations.
“The introduction of 4G communication in subway is a national issue. The law must be implemented. There are legal processes that must be followed. If we combine the efforts of all participants in this process, the project will be implemented within the announced time frame,” advisor to the Mayor of Kyiv Maksym Bakhmatov said.
According to him, now all important technical aspects have been agreed with the subway, and the operators have provided the required technical documentation.
“Operators have already imported the first consignments of special equipment for building a network into the country and are waiting for legal grounds to begin installation work in the subway. The full-fledged implementation of the investment project depends on making a decision by the Kyiv City Council on the fee for telecom access to municipal property,” Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Director at Kyivstar Oleksandr Kogut.
According to the plan, the launch of 4G communications at the first subway stations, namely Akademmistechko, Zhytomyrska, Sviatoshyn, Syrets, Dorohozhychi, Heroiv Dnipra, Minska and Obolon, is expected in March 2020. Until the beginning of 2021, high-speed mobile communications should work at all stations and tunnels of the Kyiv subway.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has the feeling that elections can be held in Donbas this coming fall simultaneously with local elections across the country; at the same time, he did not rule out that the conflict in Donbas could be frozen.
“Local elections held simultaneously across the country unite it. This is an important symbol for me,” Zelensky said in an interview with Interfax.
“Elections in Donbas are possible only after the military actions there are ended and the foreign armed units are withdrawn,” he said.
Ukraine today has potato storage capacities of 300,000 tonnes with the minimum necessary level to meet the domestic needs being 1.5 million tonnes, Director of the Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers Oksana Ruzhenkova has said.
“Today, Ukraine has 300,000 tonnes of potato storage facilities. Over the past five years, 350,000 tonnes of storage facilities have lost their usability. The domestic demand is at least 1.5 million tonnes,” she said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.
According to Ruzhenkova, this year the state plans to allocate UAH 400 million from the budget for the development of horticulture, and under this program, potato producers see the potential for using funds to compensate for the construction of storage facilities.
“If about UAH 200 million is left for our needs [out of the total amount of funds under the gardening program], we will be happy. We will build potato storages for 100,000 tonnes and Ukraine will be able to at least slightly reduce the deficit. Some 100,000 tonnes of storages from scratch need about EUR23 million and we can build it based on surveys of the association,” she said.
She noted that until 2014 domestic potato consumption in Ukraine was estimated at 7 million tonnes, now it is about 4.5 million tonnes with production standing at 20 million tonnes. Some 95% of potatoes are grown in home gardens. The processing capacity in Ukraine is only about 250,000 tonnes of potatoes. Ukraine exports small volumes mainly to Moldova, imports about 270,000 tonnes from the Russian Federation and Belarus.
EPICENTER KThe Epicenter K Group, developing the agricultural business since 2016, after the acquisition of Khmelnytsk-Agro from Svarog West Group will boost its total land bank by 40,000 ha, to 160,000 ha. According to the company’s press release issued on Wednesday, the process is currently underway. Khmelnytsk-Agro develops the crop and livestock segments in Khmelnytsky region. It consists of a granary and a seed plant.
Epicenter K plans to create two more clusters in its structure, on the lands of which will be grown both traditional crops – wheat, sunflower, corn and rapeseed, as well as niche crops – bare pumpkin, and organic crops and seeds for irrigation will also be planted.
Epicenter K seeks to renegotiate land lease contracts with shareholders of Khmelnytsk-Agro LLC under the best conditions, after which they will receive social guarantees from Epicenter K.
As reported, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine granted permission to acquire the company on February 6.
