Production of sunflower seeds in the 2022/2023 marketing year (MY, September-August) is projected at 9.4 million tonnes, which is 42.6% less than the previous MY (16.4 million tonnes), while their exports will decrease by approximately 41.2%, to 1 million tonnes from 1.7 million tonnes.
Such data were announced by Stepan Kapshuk, Director General of the Ukroliyaprom Association, during the online conference “Ukrainian oilseed market: optimistic or pessimistic forecast” on Thursday.
Thus, this MY is expected to reduce production of sunflower seeds to the lowest value in ten years, which is even lower than in 2013/2014 MY with 11.5 million tonnes. This decrease is caused by the Russian military invasion into Ukraine, the temporary occupation of part of its territory, and logistical problems associated with Russian aggression.
The head of the association stressed that in 2022/2023 MY, oilseed exports are expected to decrease by 10.6%, to 5.1 million tonnes from 5.71 million tonnes in 2021/2022 MY, including sunflower seeds 41.2%, to 1 million tonnes, and rapeseed by 4%, to 2.6 million tonnes from 2.71 million tonnes. However, soybean exports are expected to grow by 15.3%, to 1.5 million tonnes from 1.3 million tonnes in 2021/2022 MY.
According to Kapshuk, in general, in 2022/2023 MY, production of oilseeds in Ukraine is projected at the level of 14.86 million tonnes, of which, in addition to indicated 9.4 million tonnes of sunflower seeds, 2.87 million tonnes account for rapeseed, and 2.59 million tonnes for soybeans.
At the same time, it is expected that in Ukraine 95.7% of produced sunflower seeds – 9.0 million tonnes, 38% of soybeans – 1 million tonnes, and 7% of rapeseed – 200,000 tonnes will be processed in 2022/2023 MY.
According to the Director General of Ukroliyaprom, in 2022/2023 MY, Ukraine will produce 4.0 million tonnes of sunflower oil, while 4.2 million tonnes will be exported, of which part will be sent from transitional stocks left over from the previous period. These figures are lower than those of MY 2021/2022 with 5.2 million tonnes of oil produced and 4.3 million tonnes of exports, and are comparable to the indicators of MY 2013/2014 (production – 4.6 million tonnes, export – 4.19 million tonnnes).
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that from September 1, privatization should start massively in Ukraine.
“The President of Ukraine has set the task of launching privatization from September. To this end, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the relevant legislation, the government has developed all the by-laws. We must make this process as fast as possible,” the press service of the government quoted Shmygal as saying after a conference call with regional leaders.
At the same time, according to the prime minister, the state is launching grant programs to motivate businesses and people to create jobs as much as possible.
“Small-scale privatization, especially in regions where people in villages and towns know objects that have been standing for years and inefficiently used, is designed to make it possible to buy these premises at a fair price and start work,” he added.
According to Shmyhal, privatization will also allow expanding production for farmers.
“The Ministry of Economy said that in early September, according to the schedule, auctions for elevator capacities and grain factories will be announced. Market operators, seeing a shortage of capacities, will be able to take part in these tenders,” the prime minister said.
On Tuesday, the hryvnia exchange rate in the cash market strengthened by more than 1 UAH/$1, to a level of about 39 UAH/$1, at which it stayed on the first day after the National Bank refixed the official rate from UAH 29.25/$1 to 36, 57 UAH/$1.
According to market participants, at present in some non-bank exchangers in Kyiv it is already possible to buy a dollar a little cheaper than UAH 39/$1, while most banks still offer a selling rate of UAH 39/$1 or worse.
According to the “Minfin” resource, on Thursday morning Raiffeisen Bank declared a selling rate of UAH 38.8/$1, Universal Bank – UAH 38.9/$1, while PrivatBank – UAH 39.15/$1, while the best buying rates are now do not exceed UAH 38.4-38.5/$1.
On the cash “gray” market on Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Finance, the dollar was quoted: buying – UAH 38.4 / $ 1, selling – UAH 39 / $ 1, having won back UAH 0.1-0.2 after falling by 1.1 -1.3 UAH the day before.
Oleg Gorokhovsky, co-founder of monobank, said that in the first day after the launch on Tuesday evening, about $9 million were sold in the application for buying non-cash currency for placement on a deposit for a period of three months and 11.273 thousand contracts were concluded with a total number of bank customers of about 6 million.
Average salary of staff employees (UAH)
State employment center
Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant (ZFP) in January-June of this year reduced its output by 49.4% compared to the same period last year, to 49,110 tonnes.
As the Ukrainian Association of Ferroalloy Producers told Interfax-Ukraine, over six months, ZFP reduced production of silicon manganese by 41.6%, to 17,320 tonnes, ferrosilicon – by 57.4%, to 16,620 tonnes, and ferromanganese – by 46.2%, to 13,650 tonnes.
The enterprise also reduced production of metallic manganese by 49.7%, to 1,520 tonnes.
In June, 4,180 tonnes of ferroalloys were produced.
Earlier, Pavel Kravchenko, head of the ZFP board, told the agency that the company continued to operate, although it had reduced production volumes. At the same time, the plant is experiencing difficulties with the provision of consumables, as well as with the shipment of products.
