The Dutch company Bontrup plans at the first stage to invest EUR 50 million in energy projects in the Chornobyl exclusion zone as part of the implementation of the concept of Ukraine’s “green” energy transition, the Economy Ministry reported.
According to the report, Bontrup representatives discussed this proposal during a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Economy Oleksiy Liubchenko, Deputy Minister Iryna Novikova, as well as with Acting Head of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving Kostiantyn Hura and Head of the State Agency on Exclusion Zone Management Serhiy Kostiuk.
“The parties discussed the proposal of the Bontrup representatives on the implementation of an investment energy project on the territory of the Chornobyl exclusion zone as part of the implementation of the concept of a “green” energy transition in Ukraine,” the ministry said.
Bontrup also estimates the prospect of increasing the volume of investments at EUR 1.5 billion. According to the initiators, the implementation of the project will provide jobs for about 10,000 households, the ministry said.
KSG Agro agricultural holding expects grain harvest in Ukraine to grow by an average of 10-15% compared to 2020, and one of the best harvests for the agricultural holding, owner of the agricultural company Serhiy Kasyanov has said in a press release from the company.
“Now we are primarily talking about winter crops, but I do not see any problems with spring crops either. Perhaps we will move somewhere in time and harvest the sunflower not in September, but in October. But this will not significantly affect the results. We, for example, predict that in our agricultural holding it will be one of the best harvests in recent years,” he said.
According to the farmer, the harvest forecast is very optimistic throughout the country, even in traditionally arid regions.
As reported, KSG Agro is a vertically integrated holding engaged in pig breeding, production, storage, processing and sale of grain and oilseeds. The land bank of the agricultural holding is 23,900 hectares in Dnipropetrovsk and Kherson regions.
KSG Agro in 2020 reduced its net profit by 3.2 times compared to 2019, to $1.27 million, increased EBITDA by 3.1 times, to $6.532 million, its revenue over the past year decreased by 11%, to $21.34 million.
Revenue from the livestock segment in 2020 decreased by 8%, to $10.3 million, while the food processing segment brought in 22% less and amounted to $8.4 million.
The authorized banks issued 512 loans under the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program for UAH 1.6 billion over the past week, and in general, from the start of the program, the number of loans exceeded 18,100 for a total of UAH 47.5 billion.
As reported on the website of the Ministry of Finance, out of 31 banks participating in the program, the leaders in issuing loans are PrivatBank (agreements for UAH 4.4 billion), Oschadbank (for UAH 4.9 billion) and Raiffeisen Bank Aval (UAH 8.95 billion).
The Department of Foreign Trade of Thailand has announced the final decision to extend for another five years antidumping duties on the import of certain types of hot-rolled steel from 14 countries, including Ukraine with a slight decrease.
According to Steel Orbis, this decision was made following the revision of antidumping restrictions on imports of these products from Japan, South Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, India, South Korea, Venezuela, Argentina, Ukraine, Algeria, Indonesia, Slovakia, Romania and Taiwan.
The size of the duties is from 0% to 128.11%. At the same time, duties on deliveries from Ukraine will amount to 30.45%-67.69%, from the Russian Federation – 24.2%-35.17%, Kazakhstan – 68.11%-109.25%.
The duty revision procedure was launched in May 2020 following a complaint from local manufacturers.
According to the information of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, at present there are duties on the supply of hot-rolled products in coils and not in coils to Thailand produced by Illich steel mill (Metinvest Group) – 32.17%, other manufacturers – 71.52%.
The total public debt of Ukraine in March 2021 decreased in hryvnia by UAH 38.68 billion, to UAH 2.514 trillion, in dollars – by $ 1.24 billion, to $ 90.17 billion, the Ministry of Finance said on the website.
“As of the end of March 2021, the total government and government-guaranteed debt in the national currency amounted to UAH 2.514 trillion ($ 90.17 billion in equivalent). Compared to the previous month, the state and publicly guaranteed debt of Ukraine decreased in hryvnia equivalent by UAH 38.68 billion, and by $ 1.24 billion in dollar terms,” the ministry said in a release.
At the same time, public debt decreased by UAH 28.91 billion ($ 906.4 million), to UAH 2.234 trillion ($ 80.14 billion), of which external debt is 54.2% (including 21.2% of the total amount are loans from international financial organizations, 28.9% – eurobonds).
The state-guaranteed debt fell by UAH 9.77 billion ($ 33.4 million), the Finance Ministry said.
“The share of public debt in hryvnia at the end of March 2021 increased to 39.8%,” the Finance Ministry said.
“In March 2021, the Ministry of Finance held 29 auctions for the placement of government bonds, attracted UAH 44.4 billion to finance the state budget,” the report says.
According to the ministry, payments for repayment of the state debt in January-March this year amounted to UAH 106.9 billion, for servicing – UAH 37.4 billion.
Odesa seaport in January-May 2021 handled 8.677 million tonnes of cargo, which is 16.96% less than in January-May 2020.
According to the website of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, during this period the port reduced the transshipment of export cargo by 22.4%, to 5.97 million tonnes, import – by 1.42%, to 2.209 million tonnes, increased transshipment of transit cargo – by 2.82%, to 487,350 tonnes, and reduced the transshipment of cabotage goods – by 74.55%, to 10,620 tonnes.
Transshipment of liquid cargo in Odesa seaport for the specified period increased by 13.37%, to 885,190 tonnes, while handling of dry and bulk cargo decreased by 37.74%, to 2.31 million tonnes, packaged goods – by 8%, to 5.482 million tonnes.
Transshipment of containers in the five months of 2021 amounted to 275,040 TEU (an increase of 1.17%).
As reported, in 2020, Odesa seaport handled 23.370 million tonnes of cargo, which is 7.8% less than in 2019.
The port serves vessels up to 270 meters in length and up to 13 meters draft. The total length of the berthing line is more than 8 km.
