Velta Group of companies with titanium ore mining assets in Novomyrhorod (Kirovograd region) produced 71 thousand tons of ilmenite in January-September 2024, while 104 thousand tons of this product were produced in the same period last year (down 31.7%).
“The reasons for the decline are obvious. The first one I would mention is the electricity supply, namely the price increase. Previously, electricity was in third place in the cost of production, but now it has confidently moved to the first position. If we talk about the period of 9 months of last year and this year, the growth was 35% and even more, since the price fluctuates from month to month, the maximum difference is 93%! Of course, this is compounded by limited supplies,” explained Andriy Brodsky, CEO and co-owner of the company, in response to an inquiry from Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, logistics also continues to be a challenge, affecting production costs and hindering development. In addition, there is a critical situation with personnel: despite the fact that our titanium complex is recognized as critical, 15% of the staff serve in the Armed Forces.
“And if these problems have conditionally arisen since the beginning of the war, the government is adding new ones – increasing taxes. So far, I have heard from business colleagues that there is a strict link between tax payments and the status of a critical enterprise. If you don’t pay the increased taxes on time, your company immediately loses its status, and your employees lose their reservations and quickly receive summonses. I would say that now is the time for Ukrainian businessmen to make a choice without a choice,” the CEO believes.
As reported, Velta produced 25.409 thousand tons of ilmenite in 1Q2024.
Velta was registered in April 2000. The main activity is the extraction and production of ilmenite concentrate.
Velta Holding LLC owns 100% of Velta PCF LLC. The ultimate beneficiaries are three individuals: Andrii Brodskyi (60%), Vadym Moskalenko (20%) and Vitalii Malakhov (20%).
Trypillia Packaging Plant (TPK, Ukrainka, Kyiv region), a subsidiary of the shutdown Rubizhne Cardboard and Packaging Plant, which stopped operations in Luhansk region, increased its corrugated packaging output by 19.9% in January-October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, to 140.25 million square meters.
According to Ukrpapir statistics provided to Interfax-Ukraine, the plant is now the second largest producer of corrugated packaging after Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill (187.9 million square meters) and has grown by almost 20%.
According to the association, in October, TPK increased its corrugated packaging production by 21.4% year-on-year and by 15.3% year-on-year to 16.6 million square meters.
In monetary terms, the TPC’s production volume in January-October increased by 12.7% to UAH 2 billion 276 million.
The main companies in the industry that provided data to Ukrpapir Association increased their production of cardboard boxes by 15.1% to 490 million square meters during this period.
Earlier it was reported that before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Rubizhne Pulp and Paper Mill, together with TPK, was the leading producer of corrugated packaging in Ukraine.
After the destruction in Rubizhne, the plant shut down, and the legal entity Rubizhne CPP was re-registered in Kyiv.
TPK produces a wide range of corrugated cardboard products for food, industrial goods, and chemicals. Among its customers are Roshen, Coca-Cola, MHP agricultural holding, and Lactalis Group.
In 2023, the plant increased its commercial output by 13.7% compared to 2022, to UAH 2 billion 480 million, while corrugated packaging production increased by 18% to 145.8 million square meters.
Global coffee exports in the 2023/24 marketing season (October-September) increased by 11.7% to 137.27 million bags (60 kg each), according to a report by the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
In particular, shipments of green (unroasted) coffee increased by 11.8% to 123.75 million bags.
Among the macro-regions, South America retains its position as the largest exporter of coffee, which in 2023/24 season increased shipments by 30.7% to 66.13 million bags. In particular, Brazil recorded a record figure of coffee shipments of 49.03 million bags.
Sales of coffee from Asia and Oceania decreased by 6.7% (to 40.62 mln bags) in the season that ended, while Africa increased its supplies by 17.3% (to 16.02 mln bags).
Russian gas producer Gazprom (GAZP.MM), opens new tab said it would send 42.4 million cubic metres of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Tuesday, the same volume as on Monday, while nominations for gas flows to Austria from Slovakia edged up.
The European energy markets have been on edge over a contractual row between Gazprom and Austria’s OMV (OMVV.VI), opens new tab, which led to the Kremlin-controlled firm halting supply to the Vienna-based company on Saturday.
The flows to OMV were stopped after it threatened to impound some of Gazprom’s gas as compensation for an arbitration it had won over the contractual dispute.
Daily flows to Europe via Ukraine have remained around normal levels, however, and gas has continued to flow into Austria.
Nominations, or requests from customers, for flows to Austria from Slovakia were up 6% on Tuesday versus Monday but remained about 12% below levels seen before Gazprom halted supply to OMV.
It was not clear who was buying gas previously intended for OMV.
Nominations to the Czech Republic from Slovakia were roughly in line with levels seen in previous days this month.
Nominations for flows into Slovakia from Ukraine were also little changed while nominations for flows leaving Slovakia were mostly stable, data from transmission system operator Eustream showed.
“Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest mining and metals holding, increased its total production of iron ore concentrate (IOC) by 63% year-on-year to 12.239 million tonnes in January-September this year, and pellets by 15% to 4.570 million tonnes, but reduced its total output of coking coal concentrate by 25% to 3.220 million tonnes.
According to the operating report of the parent company Metinvest B.V. on Monday, in March-July 2024, Ukraine experienced power supply restrictions due to Russian shelling and high demand for imported electricity. Since August, the situation has stabilized, but the unfavorable conditions on the iron ore market have led to a decline in production.
The Group’s mining and processing plants continued to operate at varying levels of capacity utilization, taking into account the availability of electricity, its cost, market prices for iron ore products and other factors to ensure efficient production. As a result, in Q3 2024, total iron ore concentrate production decreased by 17% quarter-on-quarter to 3.347 million tonnes; production of saleable iron ore products decreased by 15% to 3.231 million tonnes, including iron ore products by 16% to 1.854 million tonnes, and saleable pellets by 14% to 1.377 million tonnes.
Amid the unblocking of Ukrainian Black Sea ports from August 2023 and an increase in the order book for pellets, total iron ore production increased by 63% to 12.239 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year. At the same time, the output of commercial iron ore products increased by 84% to 11.446 million tons, including a 3.1-fold increase in the production of commercial iron ore products to 6.876 million tons and 15% increase in commercial pellets to 4.570 million tons.
Since February 2024, Russian troops have concentrated their efforts on several fronts, including the Pokrovske direction, located near the Pokrovske coal group. Russian troops captured a number of towns and villages in the region and shifted the front line. Intense fighting and massive shelling continue in the area. Management is closely monitoring the situation and is taking all possible measures to minimize any potential negative consequences for the group, the statement said.
In the third quarter of 2024, the group’s production of coal concentrate increased by 14% quarter-on-quarter to 1.135 million tons. The main factor was a 17% increase in production volumes at Pokrovske Coal Group to 658 thousand tons. Despite the intensification of military operations in the Pokrovske area, production increased due to the commissioning of an additional longwall, which increased mining productivity and improved the quality characteristics of Ukrainian coking coal.
United Coal Company’s (USA) coal concentrate production increased by 9% quarter-on-quarter to 477 thousand tons due to increased production at some Affinity mines, mainly on the back of growing demand for coking coal.
For 9M2024, the Group’s coal concentrate production decreased by 25% year-on-year to 3.220 million tonnes, in particular due to a 23% decrease in production at Pokrovske Coal Group to 1.860 million tonnes, mainly as a result of optimization of mining operations due to changes in mining and geological conditions; at United Coal Company by 28% to 1.360 million tonnes due to the cessation of production at Carter Roag mines and a decrease in production at some Wellmore mines.
“Metinvest comprises mining and steel production facilities located in Ukraine, Europe and the United States. Its major shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), which jointly manage it.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Bulgaria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Georgi Takhov asked the European Commission to take safeguard measures against honey imports from Ukraine at a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, and his request was supported by a representative of Romania, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture reported.
According to Takhov, imports of Ukrainian honey make it difficult to sell local products. The fact is that significant volumes of Ukrainian honey entering the European market at very low prices put a lot of pressure on Bulgarian honey prices.
“In addition to the many challenges facing the industry, over the past three years it has also faced competition from imports from Ukraine. The volume of honey imported from Ukraine to our country from January to October 2024 increased by more than 30% compared to the same period last year,” Takhov emphasized and added that the high level of imports from Ukraine puts Bulgarian producers in a difficult situation.
At a press conference following the meeting of EU agriculture ministers, Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy explained that Bulgaria and Romania demanded safeguard measures for imports of honey from Ukraine to the European Union, as the duty-free quota set in the autonomous trade liberalization has been exhausted, and “the duty creates problems in domestic markets burdened by imports.”
“The measure – the so-called ATM regulation – has been exhausted, but the amount of honey coming from Ukraine is still subject to duty, which also creates problems in domestic markets that are burdened by imports,” the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture quoted him as saying.
Nagy emphasized that effective measures should be taken to prevent counterfeit honey from entering the EU market, for example, by labeling and separating natural and non-natural honey. He also believes that it is necessary to compensate for the “emerging competitive disadvantages” and to further support the beekeeping sector.
As reported, on August 20, the European Commission imposed tariff quotas on Ukrainian honey due to the excess of quota-free volumes of its supplies to the European market. Imports of honey from Ukraine from the beginning of 2024 to August exceeded the quota of 44.418 thousand tons. Additional imports are subject to most favored nation (MFN) duties. In particular, a new tariff quota will be introduced from January 1, 2025, until June 5, 2025, which corresponds to 5/12 of the threshold set for the emergency braking. For honey, the new quota will amount to 18,507 tons.
From June 2, 2024 to June 5, 2025, the European Commission introduced quotas for the supply of eggs and sugar to the European Union. For eggs, the new quota is set at 9,662 thousand tons, and for sugar – at 109,44 thousand tons.
On May 13, 2024, the Council of the European Union approved the extension of temporary trade liberalization measures for Ukraine for another year, until June 5, 2025. At the same time, it was envisaged to apply an emergency braking mechanism for particularly sensitive agricultural products, including sugar, eggs, poultry, oats, corn, honey, and cereals, in case imports of these products in 2024 exceed the average volumes recorded in the second half of 2021 and during 2022 and 2023. Similar emergency braking measures may be applied in 2025 if, in the period from January 1 to June 5, 2025, the volume of Ukrainian exports exceeds 5/12 of the quota set for 2024.
According to Art. 4(7) of the Regulation on autonomous trade measures applicable to Ukrainian products, Ukraine will be able to supply to the EU from June 6, 2024 to June 5, 2025 without paying any duty 57,101 thousand tons of poultry meat, 9,662 thousand tons of eggs, 109,439 thousand tons of sugar, 18,507 thousand tons of honey, 4.648 million tons of corn, 1,017 thousand tons of oats, 8,603 thousand tons of cereals.
