In January-February of this year, Ukrainian mining companies increased exports of iron ore in physical terms by 2.64 times compared to the same period last year, to 5 million 664.230 thousand tons.
According to the statistics released by the State Customs Service on Wednesday, foreign exchange earnings from iron ore exports increased 2.34 times to $552.818 million over the period under review.
Iron ore was exported mainly to China (40.32% of supplies in monetary terms), Slovakia (17.22%) and Poland (11.50%).
In the first two months of 2024, Ukraine imported iron ore worth $29 thousand in a total volume of 102 tons, while in January-February 2023, it imported iron ore worth $17 thousand in a volume of 28 thousand tons. Imports in January-February 2024 were carried out from Norway (44.83%), Slovakia (27.59%) and Italy (27.59%).
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine decreased exports of iron ore in physical terms by 26% compared to 2022 – to 17 million 753.165 thousand tons, foreign exchange earnings from iron ore exports amounted to $1 billion 766.906 million (down 39.3%). Iron ore was exported mainly to Slovakia (28.39% of supplies in monetary terms), the Czech Republic (19.74%) and Poland (19.56%).
Last year, Ukraine imported iron ore worth $135 thousand in the total amount of 250 tons. During this period, imports were made from Norway (34.81%), Italy (28.89%) and the Netherlands (28.89%). While in 2022, iron ore was imported for $65 thousand in a total volume of 101 tons.
In 2022, Ukraine decreased exports of iron ore in physical terms by 45.9% compared to 2021 – to 23 million 984.623 thousand tons, while foreign exchange earnings decreased by 57.8% to $2 billion 912.974 million. Iron ore was exported mainly to Slovakia (19.23% of supplies in monetary terms), the Czech Republic (17.32%) and Poland (16.49%).
In 2022, Ukraine imported iron ore worth $65 thousand in a total volume of 101 tons, while in 2021 – $184 thousand in a volume of 1,202 thousand tons. Imports were carried out from Norway (36.92%), the Netherlands (27.69%) and the UK (16.92%).
Promarmatura PrJSC (Dnipro) reported a net profit of UAH 11.407 million in 2023 compared to a net loss of UAH 29.995 million in 2022.
According to the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 18 this year, which will be held remotely, the shareholders intend to leave this profit undistributed.
The meeting also intends to consider the CEO’s report for the past year, approve the results of financial and economic activities for 2023, decide on the procedure for distributing profits for 2023 and on the payment of annual dividends on the company’s shares. In addition, the shareholders will have to consider the auditor’s findings and give preliminary consent to significant transactions.
“The net profit earned by the company in 2023 in the amount of UAH 11.407 million shall be retained by the company to fulfill its statutory objectives. Annual dividends based on the company’s performance in 2023 shall not be accrued or paid,” the draft resolutions of the meeting state.
Retained earnings at the end of 2023 amounted to UAH 130.586 million.
Promarmatura was founded in December 1994 and operates in the pipeline fittings market.
According to the third quarter of 2023, 50% of the company’s shares are owned by two individuals – Ukrainian citizens Igor Mezhebovsky and Alexander Chelyadin.
The authorized capital of the company is UAH 7.218 million.
Ukraine will supply the entire crop of the 2023-2024 marketing year and the remnants of last year’s harvest to world markets by mid-to-late May, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Yuriy Vaskov said at the Forbes Ukraine Exporters Summit in Kyiv on Friday.
“It is my opinion that somewhere between mid-May and the end of May, at most, the entire harvest of the current year and the remnants of the previous year will be exported,” he said, adding that prices of terminals for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products in Ukrainian ports will not decrease.
Mr. Vaskov also reminded that the state has several mechanisms to guarantee export transportation through the Black Sea. The first of them is compensation from the state budget in case of a possible attack on civilian vessels.
The second mechanism is the Unity program from Marsh McLennan and the Ukrainian government with the involvement of English clubs, to which Ukraine has also contributed, so that ships transporting agricultural products receive insurance with a premium of 1% or less.
The Deputy Minister also said that a meeting was held in London a few weeks ago. Ukraine has already received confirmation that ships carrying other cargoes, such as iron ore, metal products, and others, will be insured on similar terms.
“Ukraine has also raised the issue of container shipping insurance and received London’s consent to provide attractive conditions for shipowners,” Vaskov summarized.
As reported, thanks to the UNITY insurance instrument, insurance rates in the commercial market of transportation by Ukrainian sea have been halved, while the rate for agricultural products insurance is now 0.75%.
The UNITY insurance instrument is available to all international brokers who can be contacted by ship owners and Ukrainian exporters.
The UNITY program, which aims to provide affordable insurance against military risks for the supply of grain and other important food products around the world, was launched in November 2023. UNITY offers hull hull insurance and separate protection and indemnity (P&I) against war risks at significantly reduced premiums compared to standard market prices.
The volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the economy of mainland China in January-February 2024 decreased by 19.9% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 215.1 billion yuan ($30 billion), according to the Ministry of Commerce.
In particular, the inflow of foreign investment in the high-tech sector increased by 10.1% to 28.27 billion yuan.
At the same time, France’s foreign direct investment in China in January-February increased by 6.9 times in annual terms, Spain’s – by 5 times, Germany’s – by 2.4 times.
Over two months, 7.16 thousand new enterprises with foreign capital were registered in the country, which is 34.9% more than in January-February 2023, Xinhua reports.
“The 34.9% growth is the highest in the last five years. This indicates that multinationals are still optimistic about the development opportunities of the Chinese market,” a ministry spokesperson told the agency. – “Despite the decline in the volume of actually utilized FDI in the first two months, this is the third highest figure in the last ten years.
“At present, the favorable factors for attracting foreign investment in China outweigh the unfavorable ones, and the investment prospects are still bright,” the ministry representative added.
As reported, the volume of FDI in 2023 decreased by 8% and amounted to 1.13 trillion yuan.
The Chornomorsk-Poti ferry crossing may start operating in the spring of 2024, Yuriy Vaskov, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure, said at the Forbes Ukraine Exporters Summit in Kyiv on Friday.
According to him, Ukraine already has several potential shipowners, as well as potential carriers for the Black Sea-Georgia-Bulgaria-Turkey rail and road connection.
“We are working in all directions. I think that a little later than container transportation (the Chornomorsk-Poti ferry will start operating), but I think it can happen in the spring,” the Deputy Minister said.
The shareholders of Kokhava Paper Mill JSC (KBF, Lviv region) will receive UAH 6.852 million in dividends for 2023 out of the net profit of UAH 137.043 million at the rate of UAH 2.41 per share of UAH 0.25.
The relevant information is contained in the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders of the company scheduled for April 25, published in the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC).
According to the draft decision of the meeting, the remaining UAH 130.19 million of net profit is planned to be left undistributed.
The authorized capital of the company is UAH 711.83 million, divided into 2 million 847 thousand 328 shares.
According to the NSSMC for the third quarter of 2023, almost 12% of the company’s authorized capital belongs to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Mykhailo Tytykalo, his daughter and SB member Larysa Tytykalo – 8.49%, his granddaughter Maria Goryanska – 10%, Tamara Tytykalo – 15.5%, Supervisory Board members Oleksandr Telyatkov, Ihor Kostyrko and Roman Pirig – over 11.12%, 11.92% and 7.88%, respectively, and Oksana Serembytska – 7.88%.
The meeting plans to elect for a new three-year term the Supervisory Board chaired by Mykhailo Tytykalo and consisting of Larysa Tytykalo, Ihor Kostyrko, Oleksandr Telyatkov and Roman Pirig.
The Kokhavynka Paper Mill, which has been operating since 1939, produces base paper for sanitary and hygiene products, as well as waste toilet paper and paper towels under the Kokhavynka brand. In 2023, after the commissioning of a new paper machine, the company started producing cellulose sanitary products under the Kokhavynka Paper Mill and Mildi brands.
As reported, in 2023, the mill increased its production by 18% compared to 2022, to UAH 1 billion 151.2 million. Net profit increased 2.7 times.
