“Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company” (UDP) ended 2023 with a record profit of UAH 719 million, having eliminated its existing debt, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure (MinRestoration) reported.
“The company paid over UAH 140 million to the state budget, fulfilling its obligations to the state in full. Dividends amounted to almost UAH 216 million, which is a record figure for all the years of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company’s existence. At the same time, the company liquidated its existing debts,” the statement said.
The result was made possible mainly due to a single logistics service – combining freight with transshipment in Ukraine and Constanta. In addition, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, there has been a high demand for river transportation, which takes place without intermediaries at market prices. The procurement system has also been structured and a large number of anti-corruption measures have been taken, the Ministry of Reconstruction noted.
“Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company has been steadily showing growth in all indicators. In addition to budget revenues, it is expanding its own capacities by modernizing the old fleet,” Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Head of the Ministry of Recovery Oleksandr Kubrakov was quoted as saying in the statement.
Kubrakov expressed his gratitude to the entire team of Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company for their work.
In January-March 2024, Kokhava Paper Mill (KPM, Lviv region), which produces sanitary paper products, increased its production by 23% year-on-year to UAH 343 million, according to statistics from Ukrpapir Association.
Earlier it was reported that in January-February, the mill increased this figure by 12.8% compared to the same period in 2023.
According to the data provided to Interfax-Ukraine, in physical terms, the production of the base paper for sanitary products increased by 16.4% to 12 thousand tons.
Production of toilet paper in rolls increased by 12.5% to 37.7 million units. KBF is confidently ranked second in terms of its output after Kyiv pulp and paper mill.
As reported, in October last year, Kokhava Pulp and Paper Mill put into operation a paper machine for the production of pulp base paper (previously, it produced only waste paper-based products). To organize such production in 2021, the CF attracted a EUR 13.8 million loan from the EBRD.
Operating since 1939, the Kokhavynsk Pulp and Paper Mill produces base paper for sanitary and hygiene products, as well as toilet paper and paper towels. Before the new machine was put into operation, the mill had two paper machines with a total capacity of 40 thousand tons of base paper per year.
In 2023, the plant increased its production by 18% compared to 2022, to UAH 1 billion 151.2 million, and its net profit increased 2.7 times to UAH 137 million.
It is advisable for Poland to maintain the blockade on Ukrainian grain imports, but transit should be allowed when transshipment capacities are free in Polish ports, President of the Grain and Feed Chamber of Poland Monika Pątkowska said in an interview with farmer.pl.
“Today it would be better if the blockade of grain imports is maintained, and when it comes to transit, we could implement it to some extent and thus help Ukraine when we have free handling capacities in Polish ports,” she said.
Pętkowska noted that Polish ports were not 100% loaded in the first quarter of 2024.
“We have to conclude that our port infrastructure, but also the railroad infrastructure is inefficient. Now is the right time to expand it. I believe that we slept through the last two years in this context. Romania has received funds from the European Union and is expanding its infrastructure, while Poland has not done it so far,” the public figure emphasized.
She is sure that Poland should show both Ukraine and the international community that it wants to help effectively but, on the other hand, firmly protects the interests of the Polish farmer. These two goals, in her opinion, should be combined.
“The sooner we come to a mutual understanding, the sooner we develop mechanisms, the less complicated will be the atmosphere that may hinder our broader cooperation not only with Ukraine, but also in the European arena,” summarized the president of the Polish Grain Chamber.
In January-March this year, Ukraine’s metallurgical enterprises increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 28.9% year-on-year to $752.5 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), ferrous metals accounted for 7.48% of total export revenues in this period, compared to 5.66% in January-March 2023.
In March, revenues from exports of ferrous metals amounted to $230.184 million.
At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 23.9% to $322.788 million in January-March this year. In March, products worth $101.233 million were imported.
In addition, in the first three months of 2024, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 5.6% to $230.009 million. In March, they were exported for $77.626 million.
Imports of metal products increased by 33.9% to $233.253 million over the same period. In March, these products were imported for $88.481 million.
As reported earlier, in 2023, Ukraine’s steelmaking companies reduced revenues from exports of ferrous metals by 41.59% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.722 million, with ferrous metals accounting for 7.32% of total revenues from exports of goods during this period, while in 2022 the share was 10.26%. At the same time, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% to $1 billion 307.046 million.
In addition, last year, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% year-on-year to $877.916 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3% to $902.565 million during this period.
In 2022, Ukraine decreased revenues from ferrous metal exports by 67.5% compared to 2021, to $4 billion 533.088 million. During this period, ferrous metals accounted for 10.26% of total revenues from exports of goods, compared to 20.49% in 2021. At the same time, in 2022, Ukraine reduced imports of similar products by 38.3% to $954.387 million.
In addition, in 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 18.6% to $1 billion 52.512 million. Imports of metal products fell by 42.9% to $643.162 million over the year.
Average price per hectare of land in 2023, UAH
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
On April 11, 2024, the Zhovten Cinema in Kyiv hosted the grand opening of the annual Austrian Film Week festival, which will run until April 15 inclusive.
Later, screenings will also take place in other cities: April 22-25 in Dnipro (Most-Kino cinema in the Most-City shopping mall), May 9-12 in Chernivtsi (Chernivtsi cinema and concert hall), May 16-19 in Lviv (Planeta Kino cinema in the Forum shopping center).
The festival is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Ukraine together with the Arthouse Traffic film company with the support of the general partner AMIC ENERGY.
The program of this year’s festival includes the most interesting films of Austrian cinema in recent years.
The film festival started with the screening of the drama “A Lifetime” directed by Hans Steinbichler and based on the bestseller of the same name by Robert Zichtaler. The opening film was presented by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Ukraine, Dr. Arad Benkö.
After the film festival, the general partner AMIC ENERGY will donate an amount equivalent to the festival’s box office receipts as a sign of support and respect for the indomitable Ukrainian people.
All films will be screened in their original language with Ukrainian subtitles.
Diplomats from different countries also joined the event: Ontal Geyser, Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine, Valeriu Chiever, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine, Elena Leticia Teresa Mikusinski, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to Ukraine, Radek Pech, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ukraine.
The Austrian Film Week has been held annually in Ukraine for over 11 years. Only 2022 was an exception due to the war.
Read more https://www.facebook.com/UkrDiplomatic/
