Ukrainian enterprises in January-April this year increased the export of ferrous scrap 7.5 times compared to the same period last year, to 86,979 tonnes, including 37,874 tonnes of scrap in April.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service on Tuesday, in monetary terms, the export of scrap metal grew 10 times, to $30.712 million.
At the same time, in January-April of this year, the country increased the import of scrap metal in kind by 36.1%, to 7,755 tonnes. In monetary terms, the import of scrap increased 2.1 times, to $13.009 million.
The import of scrap metal in January-April of this year was carried out mainly from Turkey (61.77% of deliveries in monetary terms), the Russian Federation (29.56%) and the United States (3.13%); export – to Turkey (94.65%), Lithuania (1.32%) and Germany (1.25%).
The harvest of winter barley in 2021 will increase by 17.8% compared to 2020, to 3.9 million tonnes, and the gross harvest of this crop this year will be the highest since 2016, scientists from the Institute of Agrarian Economics (IAE).
As Director of the Institute, Academician Yuriy Lupenko, said on the Institute’s website on Tuesday, an increase in the gross harvest of winter barley is expected due to an increase in its yield by 9.3%, to 3.6 tonnes per ha, while the sown area will expand by 7.7%, to 77,000 hectares.
The scientists expect an increase in the harvest of winter wheat by 15.9%, soybeans by 12.9%, winter rye by 11.7%, and fruit and berry crops by 10.8% in 2021. Among spring grains and legumes, the largest growth is projected for peas (6%) and corn (4.4%).
The IAE predicts an increase in sunflower and grape production this year by 8.5% compared to 2020, sorghum – by 8.1%, sugar beet – by 2.3%. The lowest growth rate is expected for buckwheat – by 1.5%. However, the production of this crop increased significantly last year – by 17.8%.
The institute expects a decrease in the harvest of oats by 19.5%, millet by 17.7%, rice by 8.3%, rapeseed by 4%, potatoes by 3.9% in 2021.
The scientists of the institute also predict an increase in crop production in 2021 by 5.9% after a decline in 2020 by 12.3%, thanks to which Ukraine will receive the third largest harvest since 1991.
The World Bank has approved a new $90 million project to scale-up Ukraine’s health sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, Ukraine Emergency COVID-19 Response and Vaccination, will provide reimbursement of expenditures to the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) for vaccination of about 10 million people.
“The World Bank has approved a new $90 million project to scale-up Ukraine’s health sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, Ukraine Emergency COVID-19 Response and Vaccination, will support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination to priority groups among the population and strengthen the capacity of Ukraine’s health care sector to prevent, detect, and respond to the impacts of the pandemic,” the World Bank said on Tuesday.
“The project aims to help the country not only procure COVID-19 vaccines, but also improve the infrastructure for vaccine storage and logistics: this includes organizing service delivery, cost reimbursement for vaccine providers, expanding testing capacity, strengthening the IT system, and carrying out a vaccination public awareness campaign,” the World Bank said.
World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe Arup Banerji said that the project is to accelerate the pace of vaccination, while keeping a focus on people with a high risk of getting infected and those most likely to develop COVID-related complications.
Insurance companies that are members of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU) in January-March 2021 increased the collection of insurance payments under the policies of compulsory insurance of land vehicle owners’ civil liability (OSAGO) by 13% compared to the same period in 2020, to UAH 1.670 billion, including under electronic contracts in the amount of UAH 744.4 million, which is 65.2% more than in 2020.
During this period, the companies entered into 1.913 million OSAGO agreements, which is 7.7% more than in the same period in 2020. Out of the total volume of agreements, some 877,743 were concluded in electronic format, which is 62.6% more than in the three months of 2020.
According to the data published on the MTIBU website, the total amount of accrued insurance claims under internal insurance agreements in January-March 2021 increased by 26%, to UAH 862 million. In particular, UAH 162.3 million was paid using the European road accident record forms, which is 32% more than in 2020.
The bureau also recorded an increase in the number of settled claims for insurance compensation by 14%, to 42,763, including with the use of European road accident record forms 15,450 (more by 18%).
The MTIBU is the only association of insurers that provides compulsory insurance of land vehicle owners’ civil liability for damage caused to third parties. The bureau members are 48 insurance companies.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) in June 2021 will launch flights to Ras al-Khaimah (United Arab Emirates).
An airline’s representative told Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday that the flights will be operated twice a week – on Mondays and Thursdays – by Boeing 737-800 (NG). The aircraft is designed for 186 seats.
The company plans to fly to Ras al-Khaimah until the start of the winter season.
Tickets will be sold both through tour operators (TUI, ALF, Kompas, TPG) and through the UIA website.
Currently, Ukrainian airlines do not fly to Ras al-Khaimah.
The international airport in Ras al-Khaimah is located forty minutes from Dubai and three hours from Abu Dhabi.
Ukraine has signed contracts for the supply of 42 million doses of coronavirus vaccines by the end of this year, about 5 million more doses are needed, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.
“If you look at the number of doses that we have contracted, I emphasize, it was the contracted amount for which we paid the funds, together with COVAX, then we now have 42 million doses of vaccines for which we have already signed [contracts], these are all supplies for this year,” the minister said during the Segodnya Vecherom (Tonight) program on the Ukraine 24 television on Friday evening.
“About 5 million more doses are needed,” Stepanov noted.
“We have relevant proposals, in particular from the Serum Institute, to increase the amount of doses of the Novavax vaccine, and we also have a proposal regarding Sinovac. Now we are deciding on the timeframe of delivery,” he added.
