The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has granted permission to Cliff Capital Growth Aif V.C.I.C. Ltd, a Cyprus-based company affiliated with the Kovalskaya Group, to acquire control over Unit B04 LLC. The relevant decision was made by the committee on June 12.
“The company has indeed received permission from the AMCU to acquire a stake in Unit B04 with the aim of establishing full corporate control over the facility, in accordance with preliminary agreements with partners,” the group’s press service told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.
A similar deal was already implemented in early 2025, when Kovalskaya gained 100% control over the Unit B06 facility, the group added. Construction of these facilities was completed in 2023 and 2024.
“Work is currently underway on the interior finishing of the premises,” the press service added.
As reported, the Kovalskaya group planned to invest $70 million in the construction of five business centers in Unit.City – B01, B02, B03, B04, B06.
The investment fund Cliff Capital Growth is managed by Guardo Assets Management, which also manages the funds Aksioma, A Realty, AC Real, and Vingis.
The Kovalskaya industrial and construction group has been operating in the Ukrainian construction market since 1956. It unites more than 20 enterprises in the fields of raw materials extraction, manufacturing, and construction. Its products are sold under the brands Beton ot Kovalskaya, Avenue, and Siltek. Kovalskaya’s enterprises operate in the Kiev, Zhytomyr, Lviv, and Chernihiv regions. The aerated concrete plant in the Kherson region has not been operating since the beginning of the occupation.
The group also includes Kovalskaya Real Estate, which is engaged in the construction of residential properties in Kyiv. Its portfolio includes more than 20 completed residential projects.
Last Friday, June 6, the international agricultural forum Agro Ukraine Summit was held in Kyiv for the second year in a row.
The agricultural sector is the driving force of Ukraine’s economy, and the summit is an important platform for exchanging ideas, analyzing challenges, and developing strategies to increase productivity, sustainable development, and international trade in agricultural products with a focus on European integration.
This year’s summit was prepared as a large-scale event on the Ukrainian market with the broad involvement of European partners, international organizations, and companies with the aim of not only bringing together all key stakeholders in the agricultural and food sectors, but also creating a dynamic platform for inclusive national dialogue, cooperation, and growth.
One of the key achievements of the event was that, together with ProAgro Group, leading agricultural associations of Ukraine joined the organization, including the Ukrainian Grain Association, the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation, the Ukrkharcheprom industry association, the Ukrainian Bean and Soybean Association, the Ukrainian Dairy Association, the All-Ukrainian Farmers’ Congress, as well as Aggeek, Ukraine Facility Platform, the Solar Energy Association, and the Ukrainian-European Business Hub. Preparing for such a large-scale event really required the involvement of a large number of specialized organizations, which demonstrated through their example that the combined efforts of experts can yield remarkable results.
In addition, the summit was held with the active support of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. The event was attended by Minister Vitaliy Koval and his deputies, as well as the heads and specialists of the ministry’s leading departments, who took an active part in the discussions and debates. And the former acting Minister of Agrarian Policy, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Olga Trofimtseva, not only headed the summit’s program committee, but also became its co-host and moderator of several discussion panels.
The night of June 6 in Ukraine was once again restless due to massive attacks by Russian forces. The capital was again under fire, and in the morning, Kyiv residents and visitors to the city faced serious logistical problems, which prevented some participants of the Agro Ukraine Summit from arriving on time for its opening. However, the vast majority eventually made it to the Parkovy Exhibition Center, where the event was held, and within an hour more than 2,000 people had registered—a record number for an agricultural event in the country, not only during the war but also in peacetime.
The summit began with the Ukrainian national anthem, which is our unbreakable tradition, designed to show who we are, what country is in our hearts, and for whose prosperity we live, work, and fight. This was followed by a minute of silence to honor those who died in the war with Russian occupiers—this tribute to their memory has also become a tradition.
Oleg Klymenko, director of ProAgro Group, addressed the participants and guests of the Agro Ukraine Summit with a welcoming speech. Olga Trofimtseva officially opened the summit, emphasizing that the agricultural sector is the driving force of Ukraine’s economy and that the summit is an important platform for exchanging ideas, analyzing challenges, and developing strategies to improve the efficiency and sustainable development of Ukrainian agriculture as a guarantor of food security for the country and the world.
Pierre Bascu, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture, sent his best wishes for fruitful work to the summit participants from Brussels. He emphasized the EU government’s unwavering support for Ukraine and its readiness to provide maximum assistance to Ukrainian agricultural producers on their path to European integration.
In addition to the main conference, summit participants had the opportunity to attend five industry conferences that ran throughout the day:
Due to the large number of conferences, we are unable to cover each one in a single publication, otherwise it would be a very long article. To summarize, each conference featured 6-7 thematic panels with over 140 speakers, each of whom spoke about the most important issues in their field, discussed with the audience, and answered questions from moderators and participants. You can watch recordings of all the speakers’ presentations on the official YouTube page of Proagro Information Company.
However, we will still focus on the main topic of the Agro Ukraine Summit. It was unintentional, but the summit took place on the second day after the expiry of the EU’s autonomous trade preferences with Ukraine. At the same time, agricultural products are one of Ukraine’s main exports, and thanks to the preferences introduced by the European Commission at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, agricultural exports to the EU have accounted for more than half of Ukraine’s total agricultural exports in recent years.
Is there life after the ATM, when exports to the EU will return to pre-war rules, along with their duties and quotas on a number of Ukrainian goods? This question was answered by Minister of Agrarian Policy Vitaliy Koval and his first deputy Taras Vysotsky, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka, Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olena Sotnyk, and the aforementioned representative of the EC Directorate-General for Agriculture Pierre Bascu. Arno Peti, Executive Director of the International Grains Council, Iliana Axiotia, Secretary General of the European Association of Agricultural Producers COCERAL, Mykola Gorbachev, President of the UGA, and Nazar Bobytsky, Head of the European Office of the UCA, also spoke on this issue.
Vitaliy Koval managed to partially calm the situation by announcing that work under the previous trade rules, already dubbed 7/12, would continue until the end of July. By that time, negotiations between the Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the European Commission should be completed, resulting in updated trade rules between Ukraine and the EU within the framework of the Association Agreement. They will not be as liberal as the ATM, but the Ukrainian side is currently making every effort to ensure that they are as fair as possible for Ukraine as an official candidate for EU membership and as a country waging a brutal war, defending not only itself but also the entire eastern flank of the European Union.
In a short interview at the Agro Ukraine Summit, Vitaliy Koval also answered several other questions, including those asked from the conference hall. One participant asked what the minister’s most ambitious goal for 2025 was. “My main goal is to lead Ukraine past the point of no return from a raw materials-based economy to an agro-industrial state and to see January 1, 2026, in a peaceful country where farmers have contributed to victory no less than anyone else,” he replied.
At each Agro Ukraine Summit conference, and indeed at each panel, there were topical issues, interesting questions, and answers. But perhaps the most were at the Agro Ukraine Expo, which was held as part of the summit and featured more than 110 companies with stands where they showcased their cutting-edge products and services for the agricultural industry, as well as the latest technologies and solutions.
The summit also featured two large lounge areas with comfortable places for networking. At times, it seemed that they were even more crowded than the conference rooms. But this is understandable, since one of the main values and advantages of such events is the opportunity for participants to meet, exchange business contacts, and conduct business negotiations. Therefore, at the Agro Ukraine Summit, we try to facilitate these opportunities as much as possible, including through a relaxed atmosphere, pleasant live music, and delicious refreshments. As one of the summit guests noted, “More contacts mean more contracts.” We couldn’t agree more, which is why we strive to achieve this.
The day of the summit ended on a high note with a performance by the National Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments of Ukraine, which caused an explosion of emotions with its incredible sound and unique combination of traditional Ukrainian music and the most famous hits of the world stage, as well as an almost hour-long concert by Ukrainian singer Jamala, winner of Eurovision 2016.
It is also worth noting that this year’s Agro Ukraine Summit was the 200th anniversary conference for the organizing company, ProAgro Group. This means that, with over 2,000 participants at this year’s summit, the total number of people who have attended the company’s events over the past 20 years has reached 50,000!
To mark this event and thank all participants, ProAgro Group raffled off a certificate for an exhibition stand at the company’s next events. Five winners of the raffle also received a pass for free admission to all conferences over the next 20 years!
After all the celebrations, the director of ProAgro Group announced that next year’s event will no longer be called Agro Ukraine Summit, but Agro Ukraine Week, a multi-day event that aims to become not only the largest agricultural event in Ukraine, but also one of the leading events in Europe. Incidentally, this idea has already been approved and supported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food. So, preparations are already underway!
Finally, ProAgro Group would like to express its sincere gratitude to the title partners of this year’s Agro Ukraine Summit – AgriGo, GRECO group, and VITAGRO; general partners – ERIDON and TOKMAK DIESEL; exclusive partners – A. TOM and VOLTAGE, as well as over 100 partner companies.
We would also like to thank all media outlets that became information partners of the Agro Ukraine Summit, led by the general media partner, the TV channel “MY – UKRAINE.” We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all journalists on their professional holiday, Journalist Day, which was celebrated in parallel with the summit on June 6.
Interfax-Ukraine is an information partner.
The average time taken to decide on buying an apartment in 2025 has increased to 67 days, which is more than three times longer than in pre-war 2021 (21 days), according to the press service of the development company DIM, citing internal CRM analytics and market analysis over the past four years.
“We are no longer dealing with emotional demand. The buyer of 2025 is a person who thinks, doubts, compares, consults, and chooses a balance between emotions and rational preferences. Selling has become a process of mutual decision-making, not just a demonstration of advantages,” comments DIM junior partner Arseny Nasirovsky.
According to the company, the number of points of contact before a purchase has increased 2.3 times since 2021, from 5-6 times to at least 13. Today’s buyers research the project online (website, digital cases, video reviews), visit the sales department at least once with a companion or relative, monitor the construction progress for some time, and even request a legal review of documents or a contract template for review.
At the same time, in 2021, 62% of transactions took place at the foundation stage or when the property was up to 30% complete. In 2025, such cases will account for just under 18%. On the other hand, 77% of purchases are properties that are more than 60% complete or have recently completed previous phases, demonstrating that the developer is continuing to build and is doing so systematically.
As for neighboring markets, this figure ranges from 60 to 120 days in European countries. In particular, in Spain, the average cycle for deciding to buy an apartment is 90-120 days, in Germany – 75 days, and in Poland – about 60.
“The market must adapt to a new behavioral model. If earlier it was a race for square meters and discounts, today it is a test of reputation, documents, and the logic of development. A new norm is emerging that is quite capable of changing the logic and structure of the new-build market: a thoughtful, rational purchase with elements of financial planning,” Nasikovsky concludes.
The portfolio of the development company DIM consists of real estate in Kiev and the surrounding area with a total area of more than 900,000 square meters. More than 3,600 apartments have been commissioned, and more than 356,000 square meters of residential and commercial space has been built. Six projects with a total area of more than 346,000 square meters are under construction.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/
Passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border during the week of June 7-13, with the onset of summer, the end of the school year, and the start of the vacation season, increased by another 3% to 590,000, according to data from the State Border Service on Facebook.
According to the data, the outbound flow increased from 311,000 to 324,000, while the inbound flow increased from 262,000 to 266,000.
The number of vehicles that passed through checkpoints this week increased from 125,000 to 127,000, while the flow of vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo remained at 514.
During the week, the State Border Service reported an increase in passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border and the resulting queues.
“The heaviest traffic is observed at the end of the week and on weekends,” the agency said.
According to the State Border Service, at noon on Sunday, the longest queue of passenger cars at the Polish border was at the Ustyluh checkpoint, with 80 vehicles, while 15 cars were waiting to cross the border at Uzhgorod and Shehyni, and 10 at Krakivets.
At the border with Hungary, there were queues of 20-25 cars at all crossing points – Vylok, Luzhanka, Tisa, Dzvinove, and Kosino.
At the border with Slovakia, 40 cars were waiting to pass inspection at the Uzhgorod checkpoint, and 15 at Maly Berezny.
At the border with Romania, there was a queue of 50 cars at the main crossing point “Porubne.”
The total number of people crossing the border this year is higher than last year: during the same seven days last year, 306,000 people left Ukraine and 268,000 entered, and the flow of cars was also lower – 119,000.
Last year, a significant summer increase in passenger traffic began in the first week of June and lasted for five weeks in a row.
As reported, from May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the start of the war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022, and amounted to 409,000 people. However, since the end of September, possibly influenced by news of mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, followed by massive shelling of energy infrastructure, the number of people leaving exceeded the number of people entering. In total, from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war, it reached 223,000 people.
During the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings to leave Ukraine, according to the State Border Service, exceeded the number of crossings to enter by 25,000, during the third year by 187,000, and since the beginning of the fourth year by 137,000.
As Deputy Minister of Economy Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March 2023, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP.
In its April inflation report, the National Bank again estimated the outflow from Ukraine in 2024 at 0.5 million (according to the State Border Service – 0.315 million). In absolute terms, this means an increase in the number of migrants remaining abroad to 6.8 million in 2024. The NBU also maintained its forecast for the outflow in 2025 at 0.2 million.
According to updated UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of May 31, 2025, was estimated at 5.059 million (as of April 17 – 6.358 million), and worldwide – at 5.620 million (6.918 million).
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data at the end of last year, there were 3.669 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In June, Ukraine saw a significant increase in meat prices, while the cost of young vegetables and eggs decreased, according to the food monitoring report by the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UAC).
Analysts noted that prices for vegetables from the previous harvest continue to rise. The borscht index fell by 12% over the month, but rose by 27% over the year, reaching UAH 196. This is UAH 26 cheaper than last month, when the cost of the dish was UAH 222.
“Vegetable prices are showing seasonal dynamics: new harvest products are becoming cheaper, while old ones are becoming more expensive,” the UACB emphasized.
The retail price of onions reached 40 UAH/kg, which is 33% more than a month ago and 32% more than last year. Old potatoes on supermarket shelves rose in price by an average of 10% over the month, to 38 UAH/kg (+33% over the year). At the same time, new harvest vegetables are appearing on the market, putting pressure on prices. For example, young cabbage fell in price by 66% over the month to 25 UAH/kg (but +64% compared to last year). Cucumber prices continue to fall, down 18% over the month and averaging 65 UAH/kg, which is also 11% cheaper than last year. Tomatoes remain stable at around 99 UAH/kg, but are 12% more expensive than a year ago.
Experts drew attention to the meat market, where changes are most noticeable and prices have risen sharply. In particular, beef (goulash) rose in price by 6% over the month, to 336 UAH/kg (+20% year-on-year). Chicken showed even more rapid growth: fillets rose in price by 11% to 222 UAH/kg (+39% year-on-year), thighs by 28% to 154 UAH/kg (+39%), and carcasses by 25% to 110 UAH/kg (+42%). In contrast, the price of pork neck remained stable at 330 UAH/kg, which is, however, 31% higher than a year ago.
“The significant increase in chicken prices is partly explained by higher feed costs, while beef is becoming more expensive amid limited supply,” the business association explained.
At the same time, the dairy segment has shown stable price dynamics over the past month, which is explained by an increase in the supply of raw materials. For example, milk fell by 2% to 54.3 UAH per 900 ml, cream by 6% to 33.3 UAH per 200 g, and hard cheese rose slightly in price (+1%) to 631 UAH/kg.
According to analysts, prices for groceries also remain stable thanks to sufficient volumes of products on the market and steady demand. For example, sunflower oil fell by 2% to UAH 75.3 per 850 ml, and sugar by 1% to UAH 32.7 per kg.
In addition, there has been a slight decrease in prices for chicken eggs, which in category C1, in particular, fell by 5% over the month to 68.9 UAH per dozen, although in annual terms their cost remains 79% higher.
At one of the largest agricultural events in the country, the Agro Ukraine Summit in Kyiv, the AgriAcademy.org platform was presented, providing free access to professional education for farmers from all over Ukraine. The initiative was presented at three industry conferences during the summit and attracted considerable interest from industry associations, producers, and processors, according to SEEDS.
“Today’s agribusiness requires quick decisions, relevant practical knowledge, and continuous professional development. That is why I would like to draw your attention to one of the most promising initiatives in the field of professional education for agribusiness – AgriAcademy.org. This is a unique educational platform that brings together the agribusiness community of Ukraine and provides modern, practical knowledge in the form of free online courses developed by the best experts from Ukraine and around the world.
It is designed for professionals in the agricultural sector: business owners, managers, farmers, agronomists, veterinarians, and anyone interested in practical knowledge and increasing profitability,” emphasized Rodion Rybchynsky, Chairman of the Ukrainian Flour Millers Association and UN FAO grain market expert, during a panel discussion on “The transformation of grain processing in the context of European integration.”
“The platform already offers 23 free online courses in Ukrainian, developed with the support of the EBRD. Each course has been created in collaboration with leading Ukrainian and international experts, with a focus on practical benefits for business,” said Rodion Rybchynskyi.
AgriAcademy was also presented at the conferences ‘Futurology of Grain Storage’ and ‘Effective Livestock and Poultry Farming,’ which allowed it to reach a wide audience. Each conference was attended by 70 to 150 participants, and a QR code with direct access to AgriAcademy was displayed on the screen every 15 minutes in the Summit exhibition area.
Among the speakers who presented the platform was Oleksandra Bondarska, Vice President of the Ukrainian Pig Breeders Association.
“AgriAcademy offers over 300 hours of training. After completing the course, participants receive an official certificate. It is a tool for the real development of agricultural entrepreneurs,” said Oleksandra Bondarska, speaking to an audience of livestock and poultry farmers.
“The platform offers a course entitled African swine fever – everything a business needs to know. The course covers all aspects of African swine fever (ASF) that need to be known, from risk factors and main routes of transmission to effective prevention and response measures. Participants will learn how the disease develops on an infected farm (experience of affected enterprises), how to reduce risks for their farm, and protocols for action in case of suspicion and after the outbreak has been eliminated,” the expert added.
Oleksandra also advised producers to take the Basics of Pig Health course available on the platform. The course covers issues of animal health support and control throughout the entire production cycle in terms of technological and age groups of pigs and types of diseases, and also includes information on quarantine and the development of herd health monitoring and vaccination programs.
The AgriAcademy platform was also presented by Sviatoslav Tkachenko, member of the board of the Ukrainian Elevator Association, during the conference “Futurology of Grain Storage” to an audience of grain producers, processors, and exporters.
“AgriAcademy offers practical courses in agronomy, irrigation, processing, technology, berry growing, animal husbandry, crop production, veterinary medicine, and ecology:https://agriacademy.org/courses-catalog/
This spring, two courses from specialists at the Astarta-Kyiv agro-industrial holding have been added: Sunflower. Growing Technology and Sunflower. Biological Characteristics of the Crop,” said Sviatoslav Tkachenko.
You can join the free training now at AgriAcademy.org
The courses are designed with the practical needs of the industry in mind and are taught in Ukrainian, ensuring convenience, accessibility, and high learning efficiency. Grow your business with AgriAcademy, your reliable partner in innovation and efficiency improvement!
Source: https://www.seeds.org.ua/
