Ukraine since the beginning of the 2020/2021 agricultural year (July-June) as of April 7, 2021 exported 36.07 million tonnes of cereals and legumes, which is 22.8% less than on the same date of the previous agri-year.
According to the information and analytical portal of the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine, to date, 14.46 million tonnes of wheat, 16.90 million tonnes of corn, and 4.11 million tonnes of barley have been exported.
As of the indicated date, 97,400 tonnes of flour were also exported.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, Ukraine exported 56.72 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops in 2019/2020 agri-year.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he welcomes the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Ukraine and Turkey on housing construction for Crimean Tatars, which will allow the construction of about 500 residential apartments, including for internally displaced persons.
“I welcome the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Ukraine and Turkey on cooperation in the field of housing construction. This makes it possible to build about 500 apartments for representatives of the Crimean Tatar people and other internally displaced persons. This is a very important humanitarian project that will bring the peoples of Ukraine and Turkey closer together,” Zelensky said at the ceremony of signing Ukrainian-Turkish documents with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In addition, according to Zelensky, “further liberalization of trade and economic relations between Ukraine and Turkey is important.”
“The signing of a bilateral free trade area agreement will be able to significantly increase the momentum of cooperation,” Zelensky said.
“This is a very important step that must be taken in accordance with the national interests of each of the countries, because we agreed with the President of Turkey that the relevant institutions of our countries will conduct a very substantive audit of all controversial issues and find a mutual compromise that will open the way to signing of this important document,” the president added.
The presidents also discussed the prospects for Turkish investments in Ukraine, in particular “opportunities for large-scale privatization in the field of investments in seaports, as well as cooperation in the energy and military spheres, including aircraft construction.”
“Our goal is the implementation of specific projects, the creation of joint ventures, the exchange of experience and technologies,” the President of Ukraine said.
The European Commission (EC) has approved the Council’s draft decision for the signing of the Agreement on the Common Aviation Space with Ukraine, said representative of Ukraine to the European Union, Ambassador Mykola Tochytsky.
“Long awaited good news: today EU Commission has re-approved the draft Council Decision on the signing of the Common Aviation Area Agreement. Looking forward to member-states’ support and swift conclusion of the Agreement,” the Ukrainian diplomat wrote on Twitter.
Next steps are the approvement by the Council of the EU and actual signing of the Agreement. The agreement will be signed between Ukraine, the EU and the member states.
The conclusion of the Agreement will contribute to the creation of a common aviation space between Ukraine and the EU based on common and reliable EU standards in the field of flight safety, air traffic control and consumer protection, the press service of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU reported on Facebook.
“It will also open new opportunities for our citizens and business as well as investments into Ukrainian aviation. Common Aviation Area will ensure the air operation in Ukraine in line with the EU standards on aviation safety, air traffic management and aviation consumer protection,” the Ukrainian diplomats said.
Ukraine in January-March 2021 imported 1.812 million tonnes of petroleum products (according to foreign economic activity code 2710: petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil, jet fuel, etc.), which is 10.4% more year-over-year (1.642 million tonnes). According to the State Customs Service, petroleum products were imported to the tune of $894.99 million, which is 8.2% less than in January-March 2020 ($ 975.061 million).
Fuel was imported from Belarus for $416.163 million (the share is 46.5%), Russia for $283.626 million (31.69%), Lithuania for $85.767 million (9.58%), other countries for $109.434 million (12.23%).
In addition, Ukraine exported 113,426 tonnes (49.4% compared to January-March 2020) of petroleum products for a total of $53.49 million (17.4%). The cost of fuel delivered to counterparties from Turkey amounted to $12.338 million, the Czech Republic some $11.778 million, Latvia some $10.936 million and other countries to $18.438 million.
Ukraine in January-March 2021 increased the import of oil and petroleum raw materials (according to foreign economic activity code 2709) by 1.7 times (by 124,640 tonnes) compared to the same period in 2020, to 305,313 tonnes.
According to the State Customs Service, raw materials for $110.084 million were imported over three months, which is 10.4% more than in January-March 2020 ($99.746 million).
The entire volume of oil came from Azerbaijan.
Ukraine did not export oil in January-March 2020 and 2021.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine is obliged to begin restoring the irrigation system of agricultural lands in the south of the country by the end of this year, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a meeting devoted to irrigation held on Thursday.
According to the press service of the Cabinet, in addition to Shmyhal, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Roman Leshchenko, representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Finance, Head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration Vitaliy Kim, Head of the Odesa Regional State Administration Serhiy Hrynevetsky and acting Head of the Kherson Regional State Administration Serhiy Kozyr attended the meeting.
As the Prime Minister said, the President of Ukraine set the Cabinet of Ministers the task to begin the restoration of irrigation systems this year, which means that the government must ensure the prompt transfer of the property complexes of the Ministry of Ecology to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
“Today, most of the land reclamation and irrigation infrastructure is managed by the State Water Resources Agency. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, which is responsible for the restoration of irrigation systems, cannot yet begin practical work in this direction. A quick solution to this issue will allow the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to begin implementation of pilot projects to restore irrigation systems this year, and will help farmers to significantly increase their harvest,” Shmyhal said.
As Leshchenko said, irrigation reform is among the main priorities of the ministry.
“This year is defining for us. We understand how to form an institutional and legislative framework, and according to this plan we are ready to move,” the minister said.
Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mykhailo Khorev reported that on behalf of the Prime Minister, a meeting had been held, following which a roadmap for transferring property to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy was drawn up.
AGRARIAN POLICY, AGRICULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL LAND, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
