In January-March 2024, Ovostar Union, a vertically integrated holding company, one of the leading producers of eggs and egg products in Ukraine, increased its total number of hens by 2.7% to 7.31 million, while reducing the number of laying hens by 4.1% to 6.12 million.
According to the group’s report published on the Warsaw Stock Exchange website on Friday, the volume of egg production in the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 331 million eggs, which is 9% less than in the same period of 2023. Accordingly, sales in the egg segment amounted to 211 million units, which is 12.4% less than last year.
Export sales of shell eggs in January-March 2024 also decreased by 22.9% and amounted to 81 million units, which was 38% of the total number of eggs sold in this period in 2024. A year earlier, this figure was 44%, the report says.
At the same time, in the first quarter of 2024, the agricultural holding increased egg processing by 42% to 132 million eggs, while in 2023 this figure was 92 million. Ovostar produced 571 tons of dry egg products and 3.41 thousand tons of liquid egg products, while last year the processing amounted to 406 tons and 3.07 thousand tons, respectively.
Sales of dry egg products amounted to 629 tons, up 18.5% year-on-year, of which 478 tons (76%) were exported. In the first quarter of 2023, 354 tons (67%) of dry egg products were exported to foreign markets.
Sales of liquid egg products amounted to 3.4 thousand tons, up 11% year-on-year, of which 1.14 thousand tons (34%) were exported. A year earlier, 1.29 thousand tons (42%) of liquid egg products were exported.
“In the first quarter of 2023, the volume of egg production decreased due to a slight decrease in the number of laying hens. Given the downward trend in egg prices, the company increased the volume of egg processing, which led to a steady increase in egg production. In the current situation, the management is satisfied with the operating results achieved in the first three months of the year,” said Boris Belikov, CEO of Ovostar Union.
Ovostar Union, a vertically integrated holding company, is one of the leading producers of eggs and egg products in Ukraine. “In the first nine months of 2023, Ovostar earned $29.08 million in net profit, up 12.2 times year-on-year. Its revenue for the nine months increased by 36.3% to $123.06 million, mainly due to higher prices for its products.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said at a party conference in Pescara that she would stand as a candidate in June’s European Parliament elections, Reuters reports.
“We want to do in Europe what we have done in Italy … to create a majority that will unite the center-right forces and send the left into opposition,” Meloni said.
Meloni’s name will be the first on ballots from Italy’s leading Brothers of Italy party in all five Italian constituencies in the European elections.
The Italian prime minister will try to bolster her party’s support, but she will not win a seat in the European Parliament if elected, the agency noted.
She has promised that she will not use “a single minute” of her time as prime minister to campaign.
According to the latest polls, Reuters notes, her party is the most popular in Italy with 27% support.
The Chinese authorities plan to pay car owners up to 10 thousand yuan ($1.4 thousand) if they replace their cars with all-electric or hybrid ones this year, The Wall Street Journal reports.
In addition, the government will provide subsidies of 7 thousand yuan to those who change cars to traditional ones with engines of no more than 2 liters.
Following the news, American Depository Receipts (ADRs) for shares of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers rose in price on Friday, including Nio – by 9.4%, XPeng – by 11.1%, Li Auto – by 7%, BYD – by 3.7%.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will travel to the Middle East next week on his seventh diplomatic mission to the region since the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip began more than six months ago, the Associated Press reported on Saturday, citing the State Department.
According to the AP, Blinken leaves for Saudi Arabia on Monday, just two days after returning to Washington after a trip to China. Blinken will attend a World Economic Forum conference and meet with Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said that Blinken will visit Israel on Tuesday, and this stop is not mentioned in the State Department’s announcement of Blinken’s itinerary.
Since mid-October, Blinken has been traveling between Israel and most of its Arab and Muslim neighbors in an effort to increase aid to civilians in Gaza, prevent the spread of conflict throughout the region, and build support for plans to rebuild and govern post-war Gaza. – while openly supporting Israel’s right to self-defense.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has increased political pressure in the United States, with pro-Palestinian protests at universities sparking resistance from those who claim the demonstrations have turned into anti-Semitism.
As of April 2024 in Ukraine blocked more than 2 500 websites that provided the activity of gambling, also investigated more than 450 criminal offenses on the facts of their illegal organization, reports the Office of the Prosecutor General.
“As of April 2024, more than 450 criminal offenses are being investigated for illegal organization of gambling. Suspicion of 21 persons has been reported. The indictments against 72 people, including 7 indictments against 68 participants of criminal groups were sent to court,” – said in the message published on the website of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
“According to the results of recommendations sent by law enforcers to block illegal resources so far blocked more than 2,500 websites that provided the activity of conducting gambling and which hosted online casino resources without the appropriate license,” – noted in the message.
In 2023, law enforcers registered 169 offenses on the facts of illegal organization of gambling, 74 persons were notified of suspicion. 52 indictments against 97 people were sent to court. Law enforcers seized more than 7 thousand units of computer and other equipment, conducted about 500 searches and 700 inspections of addresses. The activity of 10 casinos was stopped. 10 indictments were sent to court against 42 people who are members of criminal groups.
“Prosecutors also provide procedural guidance in proceedings on a number of large companies involved in the organization and operation of illegal online casinos. Among examples: provided procedural guidance in criminal proceedings on the legalization of funds from illegal online gambling for a total of UAH 4.8 billion,” – stated in the message.
In addition, law enforcers are carrying out a pre-trial investigation into the sub-sanctioned legal entity, which is under the control of structures and citizens of the Russian Federation, organized and conducted illegal betting activities on the basis of resources of the international bookmaker’s office.
As reported, on April 20, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine “On countering the negative consequences of gambling on the Internet”.
As of April 25, Ukraine planted 2.546 thousand hectares with spring grains and legumes, up 1.9 times year-on-year, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday.
According to the report, 223.3 thousand hectares were planted with wheat (204.7 thousand hectares a week earlier), 761.5 thousand hectares with barley (741.5 thousand hectares), 159.2 thousand hectares with peas (157 thousand hectares), and 146.6 thousand hectares with oats (136.6 thousand hectares).
Last week, the agrarians sowed 492.9 thou hectares of grains and pulses. A week earlier, this figure was 792.6 thou hectares, and 408.6 thou hectares the week before.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Kyiv region is the leader in terms of sowing, having planted 27.7 thou hectares of wheat, 40.6 thou hectares of barley, 5.1 thou hectares of peas and 4.3 thou hectares of oats; Dnipropetrovs’k region – 21.1 thou hectares of wheat, 49.9 thou hectares of barley, 14.07 thou hectares of peas, 0.7 thou hectares of oats. hectares of peas, 0.9 thousand hectares of oats; Ternopil – 18.9 thousand hectares of wheat, 63.6 thousand hectares of barley, 3.6 thousand hectares of peas, 0.9 thousand hectares of oats; Ternopil – 18.9 thousand hectares of wheat, 63.6 thousand hectares of barley, 3.6 thousand hectares of peas, 0.9 thousand hectares of oats; Ternopil – 18.9 thousand hectares of wheat, 3.6 thousand hectares of barley, 0.9 thousand hectares of peas, 0.9 thousand hectares of oats; Ternopil – 18.9 thousand hectares of barley, 0.9 thousand hectares of peas, 0.9 thousand hectares of oats. hectares of wheat, 3.6 thousand hectares of barley, 3.6 thousand hectares of peas and 5.1 thousand hectares of oats; Khmelnytsky – 14.8 thousand hectares of wheat, 59.1 thousand hectares of barley, 2.6 thousand hectares of peas and 2.5 thousand hectares of oats; Zhytomyr – 14.7 thousand hectares of wheat, 17.5 thousand hectares of barley, 2.6 thousand hectares of peas and 2.5 thousand hectares of oats. Zhytomyr region – 14.7 thou hectares of wheat, 17.5 thou hectares of barley. hectares of wheat, 17.5 thou hectares of barley, 2.85 thou hectares of peas and 21.1 thou hectares of oats; Vinnytsia region – 11.5 thou hectares of wheat, 55 thou hectares of barley, 6 thou hectares of peas and 1.1 thou hectares of oats.
Sunflower was planted on 1,996.9 thou hectares, soybeans – 208.6 thou hectares, sugar beets – 238.7 thou hectares. Agrarians in Vinnytsia, Poltava, Khmelnytsky, Bukovyna and Chernihiv regions have completed sowing sugar beet.
According to the April forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, in 2024, gross production of grains and oilseeds in the country is expected to reach 74 million tons, including about 52.4 million tons of grains and 21.7 million tons of oilseeds.
In 2024, farmers will be able to harvest 19.2 million tons of wheat (22.2 million tons in 2023), 4.9 million tons of barley (5.7 million tons), 26.7 million tons of corn (30.5 million tons), 5.2 million tons of soybeans (4.7 million tons), 12.4 million tons of sunflower (12.9 million tons), and 4.1 million tons of rapeseed (4.7 million tons).
In 2024, the planted areas of grains and pulses are forecasted at 10.6 mln ha, which is 395 thou ha lower than in 2023.
