The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a EUR 400 million project to provide long-term financing for small and medium enterprises in the agricultural sector of Ukraine. “The EIB loan will be made available through financial intermediaries to private and public sector final beneficiaries, and is further supported by the EU and the United Kingdom through a combined grant amount of EUR 5.5 million for technical assistance services,” the bank said in a press release.
“The EIB funds will provide long-term finance to support productive investments by SMEs and mid-caps, as well as public service providers, along the entire value chain. Potential beneficiaries, therefore, include input suppliers, farmers, processors, and storage and logistics operators, as well as testing laboratories, research and education institutions and extension services that contribute to the functioning of the target value chains,” the report says.
“The cereals, oil seeds and aquaculture/fisheries value chains are being targeted by the program, as they have been identified as being best placed to satisfy domestic demand for quality produce and to increase the competitiveness of the sector and its exports to the EU and global markets,” according to the document.
The EIB announced the start of cooperation with Ukraine on the project for EUR 400 million in 2015. Since that time, a series of negotiations took place to determine the structure, technical executives, and the model for providing financing.
Ukraine in January-November 2019 increased natural gas imports by 38.1% (by 3.854 billion cubic meters) compared to the same period in 2018, to 13.967 billion cubic meters, according to recent data from JSC Ukrtransgaz. According to the calculations of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, imports from Slovakia amounted to 9.034 billion cubic meters over 11 months (up by 45% compared to January-November 2018), from Hungary to 3.542 billion cubic meters (9.9% more), Poland to 1.931 billion cubic meters (2.1 times more).
In November 2019, imports amounted to 669 million cubic meters of gas, which is 31.1% less than in the same month of 2018 (971.2 million cubic meters).
As reported, Ukraine has not been importing natural gas under the contract with PJSC Gazprom (Russia) for four years (since November 26, 2015), purchasing resources exclusively on its western border.
The primary registration of new cars in Ukraine in January-November 2019 increased by 6% compared to the same period in 2018, to 79,300 units, the Ukrautoprom association has said.
As reported, in January-October the market for new passenger cars showed a 5% increase over the same period last year, in January-September it grew by 2%.
According to the association, in November Ukrainians purchased and registered 8,565 new cars, which is 17% more than last November, but 4% less than in October this year.
Renault retained leadership in November, doubling the November 2018 result to 1,751 registered cars. As in November last year, Toyota ranked second with an increase of 66%, to 1,254 cars.
KIA ranked third (in November 2018 it occupied the fourth position), increasing registrations by 21%, to 753 vehicles.
Volkswagen with a 50% increase (up to 581 cars) ranked fourth in the rating being seventh in November last year, and Skoda closes the top five leaders of the month, like last year, with 527 cars (8% less).
In addition, the top ten brands in November included Hyundai with 440 units (0.5% more), Nissan with 361 cars (47% less), Peugeot with 258 cars (40% more), Mitsubishi with 254 cars (24% more), and Suzuki with 250 vehicles (30% more).
Halliburton, an American oilfield services company, has launched a project to drill sidetracks from the inactive fund of JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia.
According to the press service of the company, at the end of November Halliburton began work on a well on Chutovske field, which was decommissioned in 2016 due to a breakdown in the tubing. It is planned that work on the well will be certified at the end of January 2020, and by the end of the year production from the restored well will be 25 million cubic meters.
“Given the significant depletion of Ukrgazvydobuvannia’s resource base, the implementation of such projects will help keep the volume of natural decline in production. In total, as part of the joint project, Halliburton will carry out turnkey drilling of sidetracks on 26 wells. According to forecasts, additional production from operations will exceed 2 billion cubic meters over ten years,” the company said.
Ukrgazvydobuvannia, 100% of which is owned by Naftogaz Ukrainy, is the country’s largest gas producer, providing about 75% of the country’s total gas production.
Halliburton is the second largest oilfield services company in the world. At the end of 2018, the company’s revenue increased by 16%, to $24 billion.
Windrose will open new regular flights from Ivano-Frankivsk to Kyiv (Boryspil), Dnipro and Otopeni (Romania) from December 27, 2019.
According to the company’s press service, flights will be operated on Mondays and Fridays on board Embraer 145 aircraft.
Departure from Ivano-Frankivsk to Kyiv is scheduled for 16:40, arrival for 17:50. The return flight’s departure from Kyiv is at 09:20, arrival at 10:40. The cost of a one-way ticket with baggage up to 23 kg is from UAH 2,100.
Departure from Ivano-Frankivsk to Dnipro is scheduled for 15:50, arrival for 17:10. The return flight’s departure from Dnipro is at 11:40, arrival at 13:15. The cost of a one-way ticket with baggage up to 23 kg is from UAH 2,700.
Departure from Ivano-Frankivsk to Otopeni is scheduled for 12:00, arrival at 13:15. Return: departure from Otopeni at 14:00, arrival at 15:30. The cost of a one-way ticket with baggage up to 23 kg is from UAH 2,500.
Windrose airline was founded in 2003. Its core business is organization and implementation of charter, corporate, tourist, and VIP flights.
The Swedish company IKEA, the world’s largest retailer of furniture and household goods, has updated its plan to enter the Ukrainian market, deciding to launch e-commerce first. “In order to make the range of IKEA functional products with attractive designs and prices affordable for as many people in Ukraine as possible, the company decided to launch e-commerce first. The expected launch date is spring 2020,” the company said. At the same time, they confirmed their intention to open a store in Kyiv.
“IKEA confirms its commitment to Ukraine and plans to open the first store in Kyiv as soon as possible after the launch of e-commerce,” the company said.
As reported, in the summer of 2019 IKEA announced the launch of an official website for Ukrainian consumers and the recruitment of staff to work in the first urban-format store in Kyiv (about 100 employees). The opening of the store was scheduled for the end of 2019.
In September 2018, IKEA officially announced the opening of the first city store in Ukraine in 2019. The facility was supposed to be opened in the Ocean Mall trade center in Kyiv. However, the retailer later said that due to the delay in building the shopping center, the company is considering alternative ways to start business in Ukraine.
The network in Ukraine is developed by IKEA Southeast Europe, which is part of IKEA Group (Ingka Holding B.V.). The company is engaged in the retail business of IKEA in Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Slovenia.
