The sugar market in Ukraine is stable, but with the opening of the European Union market in 2025, it opens up new prospects for Ukrainian producers, according to the analytical cooperative Pusk, created within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council.
The analysts reminded that since January 1, 2025, Ukrainian producers have gained access to the EU market thanks to new agreements on trade liberalization. This step has opened up the possibility for Ukraine to export large volumes of sugar to the European market without additional duties, which previously hindered the growth of supplies.
“The opening of the EU market is an important event for our industry. Currently, we are just starting to sign contracts for exports to Europe, but we expect a significant revival in this area in February-March. In January, we actively exported sugar to Turkey and African countries, but the European market is gradually becoming a priority,” the experts said.
According to them, the selling prices for sugar in Ukraine are 23-24.5 thousand UAH/t. This level is relatively stable, but seasonal factors and export expansion may lead to a gradual increase in prices in the near future.
“January-May is usually a period of seasonal growth in sugar prices. Probably, the current price level is one of the lowest, and the cost will continue to grow. The opening of the European market will also contribute to this dynamic,” experts predict.
In the coming months, the share of European supplies in the export structure will increase, which, in turn, will have a positive impact on the Ukrainian economy, Pusk summarized.
The upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2025) on July 10-11 this year in Rome will be attended by over two thousand participants, including almost 100 different delegations and 700 enterprises, said Italy’s Special Envoy for Ukraine Recovery Davide La Cecilia.
He pointed out at the Ukrainian House on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that URC-2025 will feature conferences focusing on four areas: business, human capital, regional development and European integration.
According to La Cecilia, the conference will be held on two levels: the first will be organized panel discussions, while the second will be a recovery forum and a business fair.
As the Ambassador informed, the latter will feature 120 stalls, including 30 presented by Ukrainian companies, 30 by Italian companies and another 30 by international companies.
Cecilia noted that the Italian business community has expressed an active desire to participate in the Conference, and at the moment the process of consultations with them has started.
The Ambassador also said that in preparation for URC-2025 on March 5 in Milan will be held an event in cooperation with the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which will be attended by a hundred Ukrainian companies, a hundred Italian and a hundred representatives of the international community. “We will talk about housing construction, about energy,” the special envoy added.
Cecilia also indicated that further on April 2, Kiev will host a civil society event, and the next event is scheduled for May 10 in Verona.
The EU will provide Ukraine with €35 billion in financial support in 2025, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Platform X on Wednesday evening.
“The EU is providing Ukraine with financial support through the G7 ERA credit initiative and the Ukraine Facility in the amount of €35 billion for 2025,” Dombrovskis wrote.
Revenues from tourism can grow tenfold if a new law on tourism is adopted and market transparency is ensured, said Mariana Oleskiv, head of the State Agency for Tourism Development (DART), at a reporting press conference.
“Over the five years of DART’s existence, we have been able to achieve significant efficiency in the systemic development and regulation of the Ukrainian tourism industry, together with MPs we have developed the Law on Tourism, the concept and the first stage of the Unified Tourism Register (UTR) and harmonized the interaction between participants. Despite the war, tourism today brings about UAH 3 billion to the country’s budget and creates new niches. These revenues can grow tenfold after the adoption of the new law “On Tourism” and ensuring transparency of this market, including the submission of statistics on tourist accommodation,” she said.
Oleskiv explained this indicator by calculations based on the example of the Slavska community, based on the break-even level of institutions (30% of the workload – IF-U).
“The better data the community receives, the better it can manage this area. For example, a certain season is less active, so the community can reduce the tourist tax and do more promotion to attract more visitors with promotions,” she explained.
Over the five years that Oleskiv has been in charge of DART, state budget revenues from the tourism industry have increased from UAH 1 billion 852 million in 2020 to UAH 2 billion 938 million in 2024. According to a forecast by Oxford Economics, made at the request of DART, the country’s tourism industry could bring up to UAH 598 billion to the state budget in 2034.
“We managed to get Russia expelled from the UN World Tourism Organization, and we created a whole new niche – memory routes. We have reoriented tourism from international to domestic and managed to interest people in new destinations to visit. Today, there is a very real and fully prepared strategy for the development of the industry for the coming years, as well as a professional environment that demonstrates unity and high interaction,” she says.
Systemic steps to create modern rules for managing the industry include a new law on tourism, bills to stimulate investment and development in the industry, a new hotel categorization system, and the creation of the first joint municipal enterprise in the tourism sector.
“Today, the first stage of the UTR has been created, an important element of which is the new categorization system developed by DART experts, after which it makes sense to finalize the second stage of the UTR in accordance with new criteria that meet European ones,” Oleskiv said.
The draft resolution adds modern formats (hostels, glamping, camping, etc.) to the categorization system, in addition to 1-5 star hotels. All accommodation facilities are required to register voluntarily through online resources (address, basic documents, number of beds, etc.). As for the categorization and star rating system, Oleskiv believes that, as required by international practice, it should include on-site compliance checks.
Oleskiv hopes that both the law and the resolution on the new categorization system will be adopted this year, which will help the systematic development of the industry, which has the potential to become a driver of the country’s economy.
In 2024, the OKKO filling station network put into operation 23 modules for refueling cars with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), bringing the total number to 356, the company’s press service reports.
In particular, five of them were launched as part of new filling stations, and another 18 were installed on the territory of existing complexes. Last year, the company invested UAH 80 million (excluding VAT) in expanding its gas filling service.
“As a result, drivers can choose this type of fuel at 85% of the network’s filling stations in all regions of Ukraine,” the press service said.
The largest number of autogas filling stations is in Lviv region – 56, Kyiv region – 32, Kyiv – 30, Dnipropetrovs’k region – 27, Vinnytsia – 26, Ivano-Frankivsk – 24.
The company’s plans for 2025 include the installation of about 10 more LPG modules.
As reported, according to the Group’s CEO Vasyl Danyliak, OKKO occupies about 19% of the Ukrainian retail fuel market in the fall of 2024.
OKKO Group unites more than 10 diversified businesses in production, trade, construction, insurance, maintenance and other services. The flagship company of the group is Galnaftogaz, which operates one of the largest filling stations in Ukraine under the OKKO brand, with 410 filling stations.
Vitaly Antonov’s GNG Retail Limited owns 90.25% of Concern Galnaftogaz shares. In October 2024, Avalia Investments Limited (Cyprus) became the owner of another 7.35% of the shares.
Where housing prices rose the most in 2024, and which regions became cheaper: annual research of DIM.RIA
DIM.RIA, the Ukrainian real estate marketplace’s own analytical center, has published a study of the real estate market for 2024. We analyzed prices per square meter of housing in new buildings, changes in the cost of secondary housing, and the rental market.
Primary market
Supply.
From January to December 2024, 181 new buildings with 358 sections were commissioned in Ukraine. The largest number of completed projects was in the Kyiv region, excluding the city of Kyiv, and in the Lviv region. During the year, the number of operating sales departments in Ukraine increased from 75.4% at the end of 2023 to 77% as of the end of December 2024.
Prices
The average price per square meter in dollars is the most expensive in Kyiv – $1342, but it decreased by 4% over the year as of the end of the year. The second place in terms of the cost of new housing is occupied by Zakarpattia region with $1171 per m2 (+14% per year). The third place is occupied by Lviv region with $1090 (+3% over the year).
Among Kyiv districts, the Pecherskyi district has the highest price per square meter in a new building, with an average of $2695 (-0.7% per year). The cheapest housing is available in Desnianskyi district of the capital, at an average price of $909 per square meter (-4% per year).
Secondary market
Supply.
In the secondary housing market, the number of offers increased the most during the year in the western regions of Ukraine, as well as in Poltava, Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
Price
In 2024, prices for one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for sale by owner went up in most regions. Kyiv remains the most expensive location for buying secondary housing: on average, $79 thousand for a one-bedroom apartment, $115 thousand for a two-bedroom apartment, and $155 thousand for a three-bedroom apartment. Lviv region is the second most expensive, and the third place is shared by Zakarpattia and Volyn regions.
If we consider the capital in more detail, the Pecherskyi district remains the most expensive, and the lowest amount is indicated by homeowners in Desnianskyi district.
Rental market
Supply.
The number of offers on the Ukrainian rental market was mostly declining in 2024. The growth was recorded in Dnipropetrovska, Lvivska, Ivano-Frankivska and Volynska oblasts. In the rest of the western regions, there were fluctuations of up to 10% compared to December 2023. In the capital and Kyiv region, the number of offers decreased by 14% and 10%, respectively.
Price
Rental prices in Ukraine fluctuated significantly throughout the year. At the end of the year, the price increased in most regions, most of all in Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv regions (30-36% in terms of one-bedroom apartments).
