The Government of Ukraine has canceled the ban (in the form of zero quotas) imposed on March 5 this year on the export of sugar and millet.
According to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 549 dated May 7, sugar and millet are now included in the list of goods whose export is subject to licensing.
Earlier, the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Rada (VAR) proposed to the government to allow the export of millet, setting its quota of 80 thousand tons, since there is an excess of this crop in the country.
VAR referred to the data of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy for February 2022, according to which in Ukraine in the 2021/2022 marketing year (MY, July-June) 182 thousand tons of millet were produced, the carryover balance from 2020/2021 MY amounted to 18 thousand tons, while the average domestic consumption of millet in the country does not exceed 80 thousand tons, and export expectations for MY 2021-2022 – 80 thousand tons.
In addition, as of April 21, 2022, 4.8 thousand hectares of millet have already been sown in Ukraine, which is significantly more than on the corresponding date in 2021 – 0.9 thousand hectares.
This is the second such decision to lift the export ban. Previously, on April 10, it was replaced by licensing for live bovine animals (UKTVED code 0102), frozen bovine meat (code 0202) and meat and edible meat offal, salted or in brine, dried or smoked; edible flour from meat or meat by-products: cattle meat (code 021020).
Thus, rye, oats, buckwheat and salt suitable for human consumption, fertilizers (except nitrogen, for which the quota was increased to 210 thousand tons per quarter) remained on the list of zero export quotas.
The Kovalska Industrial and Construction Group is resuming work at its own construction sites in the Ukrainian capital, the group’s press service has reported.
“The real estate market is very sensitive to all shocks, but the economy cannot be restored without large business. Therefore, following the gradual resumption of work on industrial assets, we launched all construction sites in Kyiv at once,” the group’s press service cited CEO of Kovalska Serhiy Pylypenko on Friday.
It is noted that work has already begun at facilities along Drahomanova, Berezniakivska and Vavilovykh streets. The work of construction cranes, monolithic and facade work have been launched. Starting May 9, construction work at the Crystal Park Tower and Unit City facilities will resume.
Kovalska has been operating in the construction market of Ukraine since 1956. It unites more than 20 enterprises in the field of extraction of raw materials, production and construction.
Enterprises of Kovalska work in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Kherson and Chernihiv regions. The total number of employees is 5,000 people.
In addition, the group includes Kovalska Real Estate, which is engaged in construction of residential facilities in Kyiv. Its portfolio includes 20 completed residential projects.
According to preliminary calculations, Kyiv city budget will lose one third of its revenues, i.e. more than UAH 20 billion, because of the Russian aggression, according to the press service of mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitali Klitschko.
He noted that today it is impossible to calculate this amount accurately because the war is still going on. “It is not quite correct to make monthly calculations because the budget is envisaged for one year. In general for 2022 we, according to preliminary calculations, will receive a third of the budget shortfall. That is more than UAH 20 billion. But, I emphasize, that these are preliminary estimates,” Klitschko said on the air of radio NV.
The mayor noted that at present the city’s economy is slowly coming back to life, businesses are coming back to work. Also, the percentage of payment for utility services provided is growing in the capital.
“For example, 55% of Kyiv citizens paid for utilities for March. And I am very grateful to them for that since these funds were spent for the necessary materials. They were spent on salaries to employees of enterprises, who, often risking their lives, provide the city with all services,” said Klitschko.
On Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously supported a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, UN Secretary General António Guterres said.
“Today, for the first time, the Security Council has unanimously spoken out for peace in Ukraine. As I have often said, the world must come together to silence the guns and uphold the values of the UN Charter,” he tweeted Friday night.
As of May 1, 2022, according to preliminary data, Ukraine’s international reserves amounted to $26 billion 944.9 million (in equivalent), which is 4% less than at the beginning of April ($28.107 billion), according to the data National Bank of Ukraine, released on Friday.
“As of May 1, 2022, Ukraine’s international reserves, according to preliminary data, amounted to $26.945 billion. According to the results of April, they decreased by 4%, taking into account sales by the National Bank, which was partially offset by foreign exchange earnings in favor of the government,” the regulator explained.
He noted that the dynamics of reserves in April was affected by public debt management operations: the total volume of payments for servicing and repaying state and state-guaranteed debt in foreign currency amounted to $614 million in equivalent.
It is specified that $420 million of them were directed to servicing and redemption of domestic government bonds denominated in foreign currency, $78 million – to redeem Eurobonds.
At the same time, in April, foreign exchange receipts in favor of the government amounted to $1 billion 887 million in equivalent, including EUR629 million and $93 million received from the World Bank, EUR300 million from the French government, $236 million from the Government of Canada and EUR120 from the EU.
In addition, the NBU and the government of Ukraine paid $84 million in favor of the IMF in April.
The NBU operations on the interbank market also affected the dynamics of reserves. In April, the regulator sold $2.244 billion in the foreign exchange market and bought $43 million. In general, by the end of April, the volume of net sales of foreign currency by the National Bank in the interbank foreign exchange market amounted to $2.2 billion.
In addition, the dynamics of the indicator was affected by the revaluation of financial instruments (changes in market value and the exchange rate of the hryvnia against foreign currencies): last month their value decreased by $150.3 million in equivalent, according to NBU data.
The regulator also clarified that the net international reserves (NIR) of Ukraine in April decreased by $791 million, or 4.5%, to $16.779 billion.
As reported, at the beginning of 2022, Ukraine’s international reserves amounted to $30.941 billion, NIR – $20.767 billion.
Presidents of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier agreed to maintain close contact following a telephone conversation on Thursday, Steinmeier’s office said on its website.
“Both presidents described the conversation as ‘very important and very good.’
According to it, the federal president expressed his solidarity, respect and support for the courageous struggle of the Ukrainian people against the Russian aggressors. Germany from the very beginning supported Ukraine financially, economically and militarily in its defense struggle and is united in solidarity with Ukraine, the report says.
“Germany remains a strong ally of Ukraine. There will be an official announcement about the details, I can only say that the hope of the Russians for a split in the unity of Europe in support of Ukraine is useless,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote after the conversation.
Deutsche Welle, citing the Steinmeier Office, also indicated that the dispute over the German President’s visit had been settled.
