In January-March 2024, companies belonging to the Ukrcement association increased cement production by 46.3% compared to the same period in 2023, up to 1 million 477.9 thousand tons of cement, the Ukrcement press service reports.
According to the association, the figure for January-March this year almost reached the same period in pre-war 2021, when the volume of cement produced amounted to 1.56 million tons.
At the same time, clinker production in the first quarter of 2024 decreased by 8.5% compared to the first quarter of last year and amounted to 878.5 thousand tons.
As reported, in 2023, the total volume of cement produced in Ukraine increased by 37% compared to the previous year and amounted to 7.4 million tons.
The Ukrcement Association was established in January 2004 through the reorganization of the Ukrainian Concern of Enterprises and Organizations of the Cement Industry Ukrcement. The Association comprises five groups of companies including nine cement enterprises.
Population structure of Ukraine (data from ukrainian institute of future)
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
In May, Ukrainian traders contracted 620 tons of Ukrainian sunflower oil for export, which is showing very fast growth, but in July-August, the export rate may slow down, according to the analytical cooperative “Start”, created within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council (AAC).
“Sunflower oil prices are rising due to limited supply on the world market. The main producers of sunflower oil in the world are Russia and Ukraine. Russia exports the majority of its production to China, while other buying countries turn to Ukraine, where supply is limited. This leads to higher prices for sunflower oil,” the analysts explained.
According to them, the purchase price for sunflower in Ukraine has already exceeded 18 thousand UAH/ton. However, the mills are ready to buy it even at high prices due to low stocks. In addition, the resumption of port operations in March-February led to a significant reduction in sunflower stocks, which also affects the price increase.
Processing plants are operating with minimal profit in anticipation of the new oilseed season. The current prices often bring minimal profit or even losses to the plants, but their main goal is to maintain operations until the rapeseed season starts, when a new crop will be processed, experts believe.
“This week we expect further growth in sunflower prices. The crushing plants will continue to buy sunflower at the current prices, which range from 18.1-18.2 thousand UAH. By the end of the week and early next year, purchase prices are expected to reach 19 thousand UAH/ton,” Pusk predicts.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency is deeply saddened to announce the death of its founder and head, Oleksandr Martynenko, in Kyiv on Tuesday. He was 63 years old.
The agency’s staff continues to work in full. All news and other information products are and will continue to be published as usual. The staff of Interfax-Ukraine would like to express their gratitude for the emotional support of the team in connection with the loss and warm words addressed to the founder of the agency and express their condolences to the family and friends of Oleksandr Martynenko.
The date and place of the funeral will be announced later.
Oleksandr Martynenko, born in 1960, graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Kharkiv State University and founded and headed Interfax-Ukraine in 1992. He also served as Deputy Head (1991) and Consultant (2001) of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, Press Secretary of the President of Ukraine (1998-2001), Secretary of the Presidential Council on Information Policy (2001-2002), and member of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting (2002-2003).
He is a holder of the Order of Merit III degree (2022), the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V degree (2020). Since 2010, he has been an Honored Journalist of Ukraine.
“Interfax-Ukraine is an independent Ukrainian news agency that has been operating in the Ukrainian political and economic information market since 1992. It produces more than 40 news products in four languages. The agency’s editorial office is located in Kyiv. “Interfax-Ukraine is not a part of foreign media holdings. The founder and owner of Interfax-Ukraine was Oleksandr Martynenko. As reported at the end of 2023, Interfax-Ukraine news agency became the official representative of the international company Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) in the Ukrainian market, and since 2005 the agency has been a member and official service provider of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
Sweden will provide Ukraine with the 16th and largest military aid package since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Swedish government’s website reports.
It is noted that the new capabilities will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. The aid package amounts to 13.3 billion Swedish kronor ($1.3 billion) and meets Ukraine’s priority needs.
Sweden is providing radar reconnaissance and control aircraft (ASC 890) to Ukraine, thereby strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. Sweden is transferring the entire Swedish fleet of Pansarbandvagn 302 (Pbv 302) to support the creation of new brigades in the Ukrainian army. Sweden will also send artillery ammunition and resources to maintain previously donated equipment.
Since Russia’s brutal offensive war, Sweden has allocated 43.5 billion kronor for military support to Ukraine.
The 16th military support package also includes: financial support for coalitions of capabilities; financial support for funds and initiatives that allow for the rapid and large-scale procurement of equipment for Ukraine. The Swedish Defense Research Agency will also be tasked with supporting Ukraine in establishing its own defense research institute.
As part of this package, the capabilities of Ukraine’s combat command are further strengthened by the transfer of terminals with satellite communications subscriptions.
The State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has won a tender of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the supply of almost 28 thousand cubic meters of wood, the company’s CEO Yuriy Bolokhovets said on Facebook.
“The bidding took place on Prozorro. The final price was UAH 3,750 per cubic meter. According to the terms of the contract, the supplier fully ensures the delivery of products. That is why the price is slightly higher than at exchange auctions,” he wrote.
The Director General added that in 2024, SE “Forests of Ukraine” provided the Defense Forces with almost 75 thousand cubic meters free of charge and fulfilled all the requests received by the company from military units.
“We believe it is right that the timber will be supplied to the military directly from the manufacturer under the tender procedure. This will allow us to optimize budget expenditures, guarantee the quality and timeliness of deliveries,” Bolokhovets said and added that since 2023, the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has provided the Armed Forces with almost 200 thousand cubic meters of lumber and raw wood worth more than UAH 330 million.
As reported, Ukraine launched a forestry reform in 2016. As part of it, the sale of unprocessed timber at electronic auctions has already been introduced. Since 2021, an interactive map of wood processing facilities has been operating in a test mode in a number of regions.
The industry has implemented the Forest in a Smartphone project, which contains a list of logging tickets for timber harvesting and allows you to check the legality of logging on the agency’s online map.
On June 1, 2023, Ukraine launched a pilot for the electronic issuance of logging tickets and certificates of origin of timber. In addition, the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has launched a pilot project to procure timber harvesting services through the electronic platform Prozorro.
