Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

PROFITS AT 17 STATE COMPANIES UP 40% IN 2015 – YATSENIUK

KYIV. March 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Some 17 state companies have increased efficiency and revenues by 40%, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has said.

“Over the past year the proceeds of these state companies increased by almost 40%, while profits overall totaled $2.6 billion. If compared to the last year’s loss – UAH 7.4 billion – we have improved the financial result by UAH 10 billion,” Yatseniuk stated.

He made these comments on air of “10 Minutes with the Prime Minister” program on Sunday night.

Yatseniuk said Energomarket has improved its financial results by UAH 1.6 billion, and the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority – by UAH 2.3 billion.

Odesa Port-Side Plant has become a profitable venture for the first time in 10 years, posting a UAH 500 million profit. Naftogaz Ukraine has improved financial results by UAH 65 billion, even though the company in the past had always posted losses.

“The government’s position is that we need to completely change management and the system of control at state companies,” the premier said.

Centrenergo, Ukrspyrt and Ukrnafta, meanwhile, posted poor financial results.

ENERGY SAVING, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO BE OF TOP PRIORITY FOR REGIONAL SUBVENTIONS IN 2016

KYIV. March 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Projects in the sphere of construction, energy efficiency and road reconstruction will be of top priority for providing subventions from the national budget for regional development projects.

The press service of Ukraine’s Finance Ministry reported that the relevant resolution was passed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The subventions will be primarily sent to realize construction completion projects, reconstruction of educational and medical institutions. The funds will be also provided for municipal road construction, reconstruction and overhaul projects.

According to the resolution, projects in the area of energy efficiency and energy saving will also be of top priority.

Total subsidies for local budgets to develop the regions are approved at UAH 1.94 billion in the law on the 2016 national budget.

ASTARTA EXPORTS 50,000 TONNES OF CORN TO CHINA, TO SUPPLY 65,000 TONNES MORE BY LATE 2015/16 AGRI-YEAR

KYIV. March 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Astarta agro-industrial holding has shipped a batch of corn of around 50,000 tonnes to China, the holding reported on Wednesday.

Astarta would sell 65,000 tonnes of corn more by the end of the current 2015/16 agricultural year to China.

Soy oil made at Globyno processing plant is of great demand in China.

Since early 2015/16 agri-year almost all soy oil was exported to China.

Astarta is a vertically integrated agro-industrial holding, uniting six regional divisions in Poltava, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions. They include nine sugar factories, agricultural farms with a land bank of about 245,000 hectares and dairy farms. Last year, the holding commissioned a plant for processing soybeans in Poltava region (Globyno processing plant).

ARTEMOVSK WINERY SEES UAH 7.66 MLN IN NET PROFIT IN 2015

KYIV. March 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Private joint-stock company Artemovsk Winery (Donetsk region), a large producer of sparkling wine in Ukraine, saw UAH 7.66 million in net profit in 2015 compared to UAH 6.65 million in net loss in 2014.

The company reported that its assets decreased by 0.4%, to UAH 647.1 million.

Current liabilities decreased from UAH 388.5 million to UAH 378.4 million.

Total bills receivable reached UAH 195.8 million, a 1.8-fold rise year-over-year.

Artemovsk Winery is one of Eastern Europe’s largest producers of sparkling wine in a traditional bottle method. The brands of the company include Krim, Artemovskoye, Krimart, Charte Komilfo, Charte and Soloking. Produce is exported to more than 20 countries.

SPF MULLING SALE OF SIX REGIONAL ENERGY COMPANIES IN THREE GROUPS

KYIV. March 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) could start the privatization of the remaining state owned controlling stakes in six regional energy supply companies with the sale of the most prepared and those having an attractive business profile, namely Ternopiloblenergo and Khmelnytskyoblenergo, SPF Head Ihor Bilous has said.

“There is an idea to split the six power companies into three groups according to their degree of readiness and problematicity,” he told reporters.

The fund head said that the second stage could include tenders for the sale of Kharkivoblenergo and Mykolaivoblenergo, the third one – Cherkasyoblenergo and Zaporizhiaoblenergo.

Bilous noted that in Ternopil and Khmelnytsky regions the structure of customers of energy supply companies the significant share is occupied by more attractive clients in the current conditions – households, small and medium businesses. According to him, the energy supply companies are relatively small and are not so expensive, which also creates conditions for the formation of competition at the tenders and their successful sale.

He added that international consultants, to improve the efficiency of tenders, offered holding them in early autumn, while the summer season is characterized by a low investment activity.

ODESA PORT-SIDE PLANT REPORTS UAH 211 MLN IN NET PROFIT IN 2015

KYIV. March 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Public joint-stock company Odesa Port-Side Plant has reported UAH 210.88 million in net profit in 2015 compared to UAH 270.473 million in net loss a year ago.

The company said that its total assets decreased by 62% in 2015, to UAH 3.352 billion, while fixed assets increased by 3.7%, to UAH 1.114 billion.

Total bills receivable last year decreased by 55%, to UAH 924.93 million. Current liabilities totaled UAH 1.058 billion, a decline of 82.1% year-over-year. The plant did not have long-term liabilities.

The number of employees expanded from 3,938 to 3,948 people.

State-owned Odesa Port-Side Plant produces chemical products and transships ammonia to vessels.