Top 20 countries of Ukraine’s foreign trade partners for 11 months of 2019 (thousand Usd)
The deficit of Ukraine’s balance of foreign trade in 2019 totaled $3.63 billion, which is 41.5% less than in 2018 ($6.21 billion) and this is linked to the sharp improvement of trade in services with Russia, the State Statistics Service has reported. Last year, exports of goods and services increased 11.2% to $63.68 billion, while imports – only 6%, to $67.31 billion.
The main improvement was thanks to an increase in the surplus in trade in services by 63.4% to $8.71 billion: their exports jumped by 30.9%, to $15.24 billion, while imports by only 3.5%, to $6.53 billion
At the same time, in particular, the export of Russian services grew at once by 85.3% to $6.18 billion, while their imports from Russia – only by 4.4%, to $0.29 billion. This is probably due to a payment of $2.9 billion, which Gazprom transferred to Naftogaz at the end of the year as part of the execution of the award of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in a dispute between the companies on their transit contract.
At the same time, last year in trade in goods, imports grew faster than exports. In general, over the year, deliveries to Ukraine increased 6.3%, to $60.78 billion, while supplies from Ukraine – 5.8%, to $50.06 billion. As a result, the deficit of trade in goods increased 8.8%, to $10.72 billion.
According to the State Statistics Service, last year there were negative trends in trade with the EU: export growth slowed to 3.9% from 14.3% a year earlier, while imports – to 7.5% from 12.7%, resulting in a deficit in trade with the EU, which expanded by 31.5%, to $4.56 billion.
The export of Ukrainian goods to the EU in 2019, in particular, increased 3%, to $ 20.75 billion, while the import of European goods to Ukraine grew 7.7%, to $24.99 billion.
As reported, the deficit of Ukraine’s balance of foreign trade in 2018 amounted to $5.83 billion, which is 2.3 times worse than in 2017. In 2018, exports of goods and services grew by 8.6%, imports – by 14.3%.
The turnover of the chain of stores of the Turkish fashion retailer LC Waikiki in Ukraine amounted to UAH 90 million in 2019, while in 2020 the company plans to open ten new stores, thus expanding the Ukrainian network to 45 stores (35 stores in February 2020). “LC Waikiki continues to operate with 35 stores in 18 cities of Ukraine. In 2020, the company plans to reach 45 stores, 49 in 2021, 56 in 2022 and 60 in 2023,” according to the company’s press release devoted to opening the 1,000th store of the LC Waikiki international chain.
The facility opened on February 13 at the River Mall trade center in Kyiv and became the largest store in the country, with an investment value of $1 million. Its area amounted to 1,900 square meters.
The development of the LC Waikiki network in Ukraine is carried out by Tema Moda Ukraine LLC (Kyiv), established in 2006.
The first LC Waikiki store was opened in the Ocean Plaza trade and entertainment center in 2013. As of the beginning of 2020, the total area of the chain stores in Ukraine is 37,000 square meters.
LC Waikiki is originally a French clothing brand founded by two French in 1988. In 1997, the brand was purchased by Turkish investors. It is engaged in production and retail sale of clothing, shoes and accessories for children and adults.
Odesa seaport handled 2.03 million tonnes of cargo in January 2020, which is 4.67% more than in January 2019.
According to the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, for the specified period, the port increased the transshipment of exported cargo by 15.2% compared to January last year to 1.622 million tonnes, reduced the transshipment of imported goods – by 17.9%, to 306,000 tonnes, cabotage goods – by 35.9% to 98,190 tonnes. Transshipment of transit cargo decreased by 52.5% to 1,830 tonnes.
Transshipment of bulk cargo in Odesa seaport in January decreased by 83.7% to 26,390 tonnes, dry and bulk – increased by 11.06% to 784,500 tonnes, piece-by-piece – by 13.84% to 1.22 million tonnes.
Processing of containers for the period amounted to 58,329 TEU (an increase of 21% compared to January 2019).
As reported, in 2019, the seaport handled 25.344 million tonnes of cargo, which is 16.8% more than in 2018.
Odesa seaport is located in the southwestern part of Odesa Bay on an artificially created area of 109.5 hectares.
The port serves ships up to 270 meters long with a draft of up to 13 meters. The total length of the mooring line is more than 8 km.
The port handles ships with a total length of up to 270 meters and a draft of up to 13 meters. The length of its berths is around 8 kilometers.
Chornomorsk seaport (Odesa region) in January 2020 increased cargo transshipment by 16.7% compared to the same period in 2019, to 2.309 million tonnes.
According to the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, during this period Chornomorsk port increased transshipment of exported cargo by 16.3%, to 1.909 million tonnes, imported goods by 11.2%, to 315,630 tonnes, transit cargo by 47.5%, to 78,760 tonnes, and also transshipped 5,500 tonnes of coastal freight (no transshipment of coastal freight in January 2019).
Handling of liquid cargo in the port in January 2020 fell by 11%, to 109,230 tonnes, dry bulk cargo grew by 25.1%, to 1.651 million tonnes, packaged goods by 2.3%, to 548,690 tonnes.
Container transshipment was 13,014 TEU (a rise of 24.5%).
As reported, the volume of transshipment at the port in 2019 rose by 21.4% compared to 2018, to 26.153 million tonnes.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 14/02/20
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
