SigmaBleyzer investment company has announced the creation of a new International Fund for Ukrainian Energy LP (IFUEL) for $250 million, which will focus on investments in the energy sector of Ukraine. “We will consider everything, including alternative energy. But, of course, we are interested in oil and gas, energy saving,” SigmaBleyzer President Michael Bleyzer told Interfax-Ukraine on the sidelines of the 15th YES forum organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in Kyiv. According to the company, during the first closure, which took place in September 2018, more than $100 million has already been approved.
“SigmaBleyzer cooperates with highly-capitalized and very experienced energy companies in Texas to create this fund,” the document says. Bleyzer added that for investment of funds both greenfield, and brownfield projects can be considered. According to him, significant potential is concentrated in energy saving projects, as the level of energy efficiency in Ukraine lags behind the best world indicators.
SigmaBleyzer is based in Houston (Texas). It has been operating private investments in Ukraine for more than 25 years. Since its creation, SigmaBleyzer has implemented more than 100 investments in a wide range of sectors, including power generation, cable television, food and beverage, agriculture, and retail.
The growth of Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) in April-June 2018 was 3.8% compared to the same period in 2017, whereas according to the preliminary assessment of the State Statistics Service, published in mid-August, this indicator was 3.6%. The department said in relation to the previous quarter, the economy of the country in the second quarter of this year (taking into account the seasonal factor) grow by 1%
According to the service, nominal GDP for the second quarter of 2018 was UAH 807.3 billion, the deflator’s change was 17%. In the second quarter of 2017, these figures were equal to UAH 664.76 billion and 20.9% respectively.
GDP per capita, according to statistics data, in April-June this year rose to UAH 19,074, in real terms by 4.3% compared to April-June last year.
According to the report, the share of final consumer spending increased to 91.5% from 90% a year ago, while that of gross savings decreased to 14.6% from 15.3%, and the deficit of exports and imports of goods and services increased to 6.1% from 5.3%. The National Bank of Ukraine in July estimated GDP growth in the second quarter at 3.2%.
The central bank forecasts acceleration of the country’s economic growth this year to 3.4% from 2.5% in the past year. At the same time, the NBU expects the slowdown in growth in 2019 to 2.5%, followed by acceleration to 2.9% in 2020.
The production of milk in Ukraine (excluding the temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, part of Donbas) in January-August 2018 declined by 2% compared to the same period in 2017, to 6.998 million tonnes. At the same time, egg production in the first eight months grew by 3% compared to the same period in 2017, to 11.069 billion eggs, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine said.
Production of meat (in live weight) in January-August 2018 grew by 0.1%, to 2.015 million tonnes.
According to earlier statistics reports, milk production in Ukraine in 2017 decreased by 0.5% from 2016, to 10.329 million tonnes, meat (in live weight) by 0.4%, to 3.259 million tonnes. Production of eggs in 2017 rose by 3.2%, to 15.578 billion eggs.
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Ukraine’s Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry predicts that corn harvest in Ukraine would increase by 19.4% in 2018 compared with 2017, to 29.5 million tonnes.
“We expect the corn harvest this year to be about 29.5 million tonnes, while the export of the crop this agricultural year [2018/2019 agri-year, July-June] will amount to 22 million tonnes,” First Deputy Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Maksym Martyniuk said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The ministry estimates that the wheat harvest in 2018 may decrease by 7.6%, to 24.2 million tonnes, barley by 13%, to 7.2 million tonnes, rye – by 15%, to 0.38 million tonnes, buckwheat – by 25%, to 0.14 million tonnes, soybean – by 2.6%, to 3.8 million tonnes, and sugar beet – by 10.7%, to 13.3 million tonnes.
The harvest of sunflower can grow by 9.8%, to 13.4 million tonnes, and rapeseed – by 18.2%, to 2.6 million tonnes.
The areas planted with crops for the 2019 harvest will be 8.09 million hectares, in particular 6.2 million hectares with winter wheat, 0.89 million hectares with winter rape, and 0.87 million with winter barley.
