India has probably already surpassed China in terms of population, and experts expect the growth to continue at least until 2050.
According to the independent World Population Review (WPR), India’s population was 1.417 billion at the end of 2022. Another analytical platform, Macrotrends, estimates India’s population at 1.428 billion.
China’s population declined last year for the first time in more than 60 years – by 850,000 to 1.412 billion people, according to data released Tuesday by China’s State Statistics Office.
India, where half the population is under the age of 30, is expected to be the fastest-growing economy in years to come. To take advantage of rising demographics, the country’s government needs to create millions of jobs, Bloomberg notes.
“What’s needed now is a massive economic support program that would create jobs in a variety of sectors,” said Nomura Holdings Inc. economist Sonal Varma. – And we’re already seeing the foundations for that being laid.”
WPR expects India’s population to continue to grow at least through 2050.
According to the UN, more than half of global population growth between 2022 and 2050 will come from just eight countries: India, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.
Three ships carrying corn and wheat left Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) reported.
“Three ships left Ukrainian ports on January 17, carrying a total of 119,000 tons of grain and other food as part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” the report said.
Two dry-cargo vessels Kestrel S (26.5 thousand tons of wheat) and Great Arsenal (25.5 tons of wheat) went to Turkey. Navios Helios vessel will deliver 67 thousand tons of corn to China.
Four dry-cargo ships are also on their way to Ukrainian ports, which on Tuesday passed through the maritime humanitarian corridor.
The JCC reported that “77 applications for participation in the initiative have been submitted.” Nine ships are awaiting permission to enter Ukrainian ports, while 24 loaded dry cargo ships are waiting to depart for their destinations.
“As of January 17, the total tonnage of grain and other agricultural products exported from the three Ukrainian ports is 17,757,311 tons. A total of 1,307 dry cargo vessels have been allowed to move so far: 649 to arrive at Ukrainian ports and 658 to leave them,” the JCC summarized.
Ukraine in 2022 decreased export of titanium ores and concentrates in physical terms by 41.8% compared to the previous year – down to 322.143 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), exports of titanium ores and concentrates decreased by 19.6% in monetary terms – to $130.144 million.
At the same time, the main exports were shipped to the Czech Republic (47.91% in monetary terms), USA (11.94%) and Romania (9.75%).
Ukraine in 2022 imported 196 tons of similar products from Senegal (70.41%) and Turkey (29.59%) for $ 115 thousand (in October-December 2022, imports were not carried out), while in 2021 it imported 1.172 tons for $1.227 million.
As previously reported, Ukraine in 2021 increased the export of titanium ores and concentrates in volume terms by 3% compared with 2020 – up to 553.051 thousand tons, in monetary terms the export of titanium ores and concentrates increased by 17% – to $161.914 million. At that, the main exports were shipped to Mexico (21.23% in monetary terms), China (18.17%) and Czech Republic (14.07%).
Ukraine imported 1.172 thousand tons of titanium ores for $1.227 million from Senegal (87.03%) and Germany (12.97%) in 2021, while in 2020 it imported 1.010 tons for $ 855 thousand.
Ukraine currently produces titaniferous ores mainly at United Mining and Chemical Company PJSC (UMCP), that manages Volnogorsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (VGMK, Dnepropetrovsk region) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Combine (IGOK, Zhitomir region), as well as at Mezhdurechensk Mining and Processing LLC and Valki-Ilmenite LLC (both Irshansk, Zhitomir region).
In addition, the production and commercial firm VELTA (Dnipro) has built a mine at the Birzulovskoe deposit with a capacity of 240 thousand tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
Real GDP percentage changes over previous period in 2018-2022
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Kernel, one of Ukraine’s largest agro-industrial groups, has started direct purchases of nitrogen fertilizer Anvistar from Polish producer Anwil S.A. of PKN Orlen Group as part of early preparations for the next agricultural season.
As the holding said on Facebook Wednesday, the fertilizer was delivered by truck and transferred to rail cars at the Polish-Ukrainian border, and the cargo is already on its way by rail to Kernel’s warehouses.
“We are purposefully expanding our network of partners, diversifying risks and experiencing a new quality of agribusiness products. I am sure that this was only the first step on the way to future partnership,” the holding quotes Igor Stelmashchuk, head of its Agribusiness commercial division, as saying.
As reported, Ukraine’s largest producer of fertilizers Ostchem of nitrogen holding Group DF Dmytro Firtash in 2022 reduced production by 66.9% in 2021 – to 1.754 million tons.
Among the main reasons for the reduction of production by Group DF was the loss of control over Severodonetsk Azot (Donetsk region), which managed to produce 0.05 million tons of nitrogen fertilizers until February 27, 2022.
In addition, the production cuts were caused by the destruction of logistics and distribution chains, reduced exports due to regulatory and logistical constraints, power outages due to the mass destruction of energy infrastructure, high gas prices, as well as a drop in solvent demand from farmers by at least 40%.
According to Group DF estimates, the fertilizer market in 2022 decreased by 45-50% – from 4.75 million tons to 2-2.9 million tons.
PKN Orlen has a dominant share in the oil products markets of Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states.
“Before the war Kernel ranked first in the world in sunflower oil production (about 7% of world production) and its export (about 12%) and was the largest producer and seller of bottled sunflower oil in Ukraine. In addition, the company was involved in other agricultural products cultivation and sales.
The largest co-owner of Kernel, through Namsen Ltd. is Ukrainian businessman Andrei Verevskyi, with a 39.3% stake.
In FY2022 (July-2021 – June-2022), the holding posted net loss of $41 mln against $506 mln net profit in the previous FY. Its revenue decreased by 5% – to $5.332 bln, while EBITDA decreased 3.7 times – to $220 mln.
Ukraine in 2022 reduced the export of coke and semi-coke in volume terms by 98% compared to the previous year – up to 3.856 thousand tons, in December export was not carried out.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), exports of coke and semi-coke in monetary terms fell by 97.6% to $1.011 million over the period.
The main export was carried out in Hungary (42.63% of supplies in monetary terms), Georgia (37.69%) and Turkey (17.41%).
Ukraine imported 359.192 thousand tons of coke and semi-coke in 2022, down 54.5% compared to 2021. In monetary terms, imports decreased by 50.3% to $174.499 million.
Imports came mainly from Russia (43.43% of supplies in monetary terms, before the war), Poland (30.07%) and the Czech Republic (13.15%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2021 increased the export of coke and semi-coke in volume terms by 3.3 times compared to 2020 – up to 194.535 thousand tons. In monetary terms, export of coke and semi-coke during this period rose in 4.8 times – up to $ 41.838 million. The main export was carried out in Kazakhstan (29.03% in monetary terms), Turkey (20.06%) and Algeria (15.77%).
Ukraine imported 789.903 thousand tons of coke and semi-coke in 2021, which is 2.1 times more than in 2020. In monetary terms, imports increased 4.3 times – up to $351.238 million. Imports were carried out mainly from Russia (65.48% of supplies in monetary terms), the Czech Republic (20%) and Poland (8.45%).
As a result of the war, a number of mines and coke and chemical plants were located in territories temporarily outside of Ukraine’s control.
