According to the results of September-May 2024-2025 marketing year, Ukraine exported 2.68 million tons of sunflower meal, which is 29% less than in the same period of the 2023/2024 season and the lowest volume since the 2011/2012 marketing year, according to the information and analytical agency APK-Inform.
Analysts noted that about 49% of total Ukrainian meal exports went to the EU and another 35% to China.
“A total of 1.3 million tons were exported to the EU in the first nine months of the current season, which is 22% less than in the same period last season. Ukrainian products account for 63% of the EU’s total imports of this meal (43% in the previous season), but in addition to fierce competition from soybean meal, they are also being squeezed by Argentine sunflower meal, whose share has grown to 28% (20% in the previous marketing year),” the experts explained.
According to their information, exports of Ukrainian sunflower meal to China during the same period decreased by 25% and amounted to 944 thousand tons. On the Chinese market, Ukrainian products account for about 60% of total imports in September-April of the current season (71% in September-April of the 2023/24 season). Russian meal accounted for up to 27% of total imports during the same period, compared to 9% in the previous marketing year.
At the same time, shipments of sunflower meal from Kazakhstan to China increased almost fivefold, and its share in China’s imports is about 5%, APK-Inform summarized.
Continental’s elevator facilities with a capacity of 634,000 tons are being prepared to receive the 2025 grain harvest. Repair work, comprehensive cleaning, and disinfection of silos are being completed, after which the new harvest will begin to arrive at the elevators, the agricultural holding’s press service reported on Facebook.
Continental specified that the agricultural holding’s six elevators and three drying and grain complexes are located in the Ternopil, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions and process corn, wheat, rapeseed, sunflower, barley, and soybeans.
At the same time, the launch of a new sourcing business has seriously transformed the operating cycle of elevator farms. Since last season, Continental has been implementing a program to purchase grain from third-party depositors, mostly farmers, and providing storage and cleaning services. As a result, the period for accepting products at grain storage facilities has increased from the usual 5-6 months to 11 months per year, from July to May inclusive. Their work is suspended only for the planned shipment of accumulated residues and preparatory measures before the new season.
According to Serhii Zymnyi, head of the finished product storage department at Continental Farmers Group, the additional load on elevator capacities last year amounted to 15% of their own volume. Further increases in purchases are planned for this season, so this figure could reach 30-40%.
“We are forecasting an intense season with high loads, especially at our facilities in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, which, due to market conditions, are currently seeing the highest level of purchases from third-party depositors. We plan to work continuously on both receiving and shipping products by road and rail, ensuring fast service for our own grain and providing quality services to external customers,” Zimny said.
Continental added that during the year it implemented a large-scale training program for employees — laboratory assistants, engineering and technical workers, power engineers, and electricians, including specialized courses in programming and ergonomic equipment management to reduce energy consumption. This will improve the efficiency of production processes and optimize electricity consumption.
Agroholding Mriya and CFG, united under the name Continental Farmers Group, have been operating as a single business since November 2018, when Mriya signed an agreement with international investor Salic UK to sell its assets.
Salic was founded in 2012. Its sole shareholder is the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which invests in agricultural and livestock production.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a resolution that will allow users to report the start or completion of construction work via the Diya app, according to the Diya website.
It is noted that owners of private houses will be able to use two digital services: submit a notification about the start of construction work and a declaration of readiness of the facility for operation.
Notifications about the start of construction work based on a construction passport and a declaration will be available for houses up to 500 square meters with up to two floors and outbuildings on the site, such as garages, sheds, summer kitchens, etc.
Previously, this service was only available on the “Dія” portal or at the Administrative Services Center. The app will simplify the process of preparing documents, and data will be automatically pulled from the registries. “Dія” will immediately show if something is wrong and suggest how to fix it, and will also send push notifications when a document has been sent, reviewed, or accepted on the portal of the Unified State Electronic System in the Field of Construction (ЄДЕСББ), according to the announcement.
These changes will reduce the human factor, simplify procedures for obtaining services, and ensure process control.
The digitization of construction services is being implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development and the Ministry of Digital Transformation, with the support of the “Digitization for Growth, Integrity, and Transparency” project (UK DIGIT), which is implemented by the Eurasia Foundation and funded by UK Dev. The project partner is the Eastern Europe Foundation.
Croatia is a popular country for investing in real estate on the Adriatic coast. However, before buying an apartment or a house, you should consider not only the cost of the property itself, but also purchase taxes, registration fees, and annual maintenance.
Real estate purchase tax
Rate: 3% of the appraised value determined by the local tax authority.
Who pays: the buyer.
When it is paid: within 30 days after receiving the tax notice.
If the purchase is made from a construction company (new construction with VAT), the tax is not paid, and instead, the price includes 25% VAT.
Example: Buying a second-hand apartment for €200,000 → tax = €6,000.
Registration costs
Notary: €200-800 depending on the complexity of the transaction.
Lawyer (optional): 0.5-1.5 % of the property value.
Registration in the land cadastre (Ured za katastar): €40-60.
Translation of documents (if non-resident): €50-150.
Annual real estate tax (from 2025)
Starting from January 1, 2025, a new tax on residential real estate is in force in Croatia, replacing the “resort tax”.
Who has to pay?
Owners of second properties, vacant housing, or properties that are rented out for short-term (less than 10 months).
Does not apply to housing that:
is the primary place of residence;
is rented out for a long-term lease (10+ months per year);
is used for agricultural purposes, or is recognized as unfit for human habitation.
The rate is determined by the municipality:
from €0.60 to €8/m² per year.
In the absence of a decision, the minimum rate of €0.60/m² is automatically applied.
Example: 70 m² apartment in Split → €2/m² → €140/year
Utility costs
Utility fee (kommunalna naknada):
~ €0.3-0.6/m²/month;
Depends on the city, district, type of facility.
Garbage collection fee:
€10-25/month.
Water + sewerage:
€1,5-2,5/м³.
Electricity:
The average bill for an apartment is €40-60/month (in the off-season).
Internet, TV:
€25-35/month.
Tax on rental income
If the property is rented out:
Fixed tax + tourist tax (~€300-500/year).
Additionally: annual registration of the property as a tourist facility (categorization).
It may be necessary to register as an individual entrepreneur (mandatory for incomes above €40,000/year).
Capital gains tax (on sale)
If you sell the property less than 2 years after purchase → 10% tax on the profit.
After 2 years – tax exemption (provided that it is not a commercial activity).
Real estate in Croatia remains attractive to investors and buyers from the EU, Ukraine and other countries. But since 2025, maintenance has become more expensive due to a new annual tax. When buying, it is worth considering both the initial costs (up to 4-5% in addition to the price) and the annual costs (from €500+ depending on the area and use).
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/podatki-na-neruhomist-u-horvatiyi-u-2025-rotsi-analiz-vid-relocation/
Sales of domestic cheese can be maintained only through the use of promotional sales, and the results of most operators are still far from the level of last year, domestic cheese makers consider the import of European cheese to be the main obstacle, Infagro news agency reported.
“The expected decrease in cheese imports due to the strengthening of the euro has not yet occurred. In May, Ukraine imported 30% more hard, semi-hard and white cheeses. Separately, purchases of hard and semi-hard cheeses increased by 22% compared to May last year,” analysts said.
They noted that imported cheese occupies a fairly significant share of the Ukrainian market, and promotions are used in sales of European cheese no less actively than in sales of Ukrainian cheese.
Despite the huge problems with sales, Ukrainian cheese producers do not reduce base prices for their products, while promotional discounts often reach 25%, Infagro stated.
The volume of foreign trade in dairy products in the first half of June 2025 amounted to $ 19.5 million, which is 29% less than in the first half of May (-29%), according to the expert and analytical service of the Union of Dairy Enterprises of Ukraine (UDEP).
The industry association noted that exports of dairy products decreased by 44%, imports by 4%. The ratio of exports/imports in June was 0.96, in May – 1.6, in April – 1.2 times.
At the same time, the share of non-condensed milk and cream in the export structure decreased by 47%, milk and cream by 58%, whey by 50%, butter/milk fats by 51%, and cheeses of all kinds remained virtually unchanged.
At the same time, imports of fermented milk products decreased by 6%, and imports of all types of cheeses also by 6%.
“Export volumes in June will be the lowest since January of this year,” the UMSU predicts.
