The state-owned company Forests of Ukraine has transferred UAH 1.1bn more to the state budget for the first 8 months of 2023 than for the same period last year (up 35%). From the profit the company finances programs of assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the report, another batch of equipment was handed over to the Armed Forces this week: five new L200 pickup trucks and four Ford trucks worth more than 24 million UAH, the company’s press service said.
“Since the beginning of the war, we have provided the AFU with more than 800 units of equipment, the total amount of assistance is more than 1.2 billion UAH. Additionally for tens of millions of hryvnias of aid for different units of the AFU collected by our employees. These are drones, thermal imagers, ammunition, generators, food. 43rd brigade, which has already become almost sponsored by us, this summer we have already transferred equipment worth more than 25 million hryvnias, and we will transfer it again”, – the press service quoted the head of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Yuriy Bolokhovets at a meeting with the military in Kyiv Prigorodny forestry.
Since its establishment in December 2022, the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has not purchased a single vehicle for the administrative staff. Only special equipment for firefighting and forest protection has been purchased. Almost two-thirds of the purchase amount was spent on vehicles then transferred to the military.
“With the profit that remains after taxes, we try to buy what the military needs,” Bolokhovets noted.
He added that the state forestries suffered a lot during the occupation. It is necessary to rebuild forestry premises, but the priority for the company is investment in the development of production and assistance to the AFU.
“Our brigade was established at the beginning of the year and is holding the front in the Kharkiv direction, where it is very hot today. There is a shortage of equipment, and the help of the State Enterprise “Lesov Ukrainy” is very important. We especially appreciate that it is new equipment – it means that it will serve longer and will not need repairs. There is no time for it in the war”, – said the deputy commander of the 43 brigade Andriy Petrov.
The head of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” also said that the company has started the implementation of a program to support veteran foresters. Participants of those who have returned from the frontline of military operations receive a 20% salary supplement and an annual bonus.
From January 1 to June 30, 2023, VUSO Insurance Company (VUSO, Kyiv) received insurance premiums of UAH 1.188 billion, which is 79% more than in the same period in 2022.
According to the insurer’s press release, the largest revenues were for voluntary health insurance and exceeded the figures for the same period last year by 3.2 times – up to UAH 197.2 million, for the Green Card – by half, up to UAH 126.9 million, hull insurance – by 80.5%, up to UAH 301.8 million, MTPL – by 32.4%, up to UAH 159.5 million.
The total amount of travel insurance premiums for this period amounted to UAH 34.8 million.
The company also reports that in the first half of the year it paid UAH 438.7 million (+99%), including UAH 102.7 million (up 4.7 times) for voluntary health insurance, UAH 79 million (twice as much) for Green Card, UAH 78.1 million (+77.43%) for MTPL, and UAH 118.3 million (+31.7%) for hull insurance.
At the same time, the IC emphasized that along with its main activities, it actively provides volunteer support for Ukrainian defenders, purchasing the necessary equipment and vehicles to perform combat missions.
During the reporting period, there were changes in the company’s activities: at the end of March 2023, during the general meeting of VUSO and UASK ASKA, it was decided to join the insurance company ASKA to VUSO and continue to work under a single brand.
VUSO is a Ukrainian company established in 2001. It holds 50 licenses (30 for voluntary and 17 for compulsory insurance).
The company specializes in motor, health, and travel insurance for both corporate clients and individuals. It is a member of the MTIBU, the Nuclear Pool, a participant in the Direct Settlement project, and a member of the National Association of Insurers of Ukraine.
Ukrainian barley in the season-2023 will be 60% exported by road and rail through border crossing points with Romania, the analytical cooperative “Pusk”, established within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Rada (UAR), reported.
According to the report, such a decision is explained by the rising cost of freight, as well as the threat of Russian attacks on the infrastructure of the Danube ports.
“Farmers are trying to export barley on their own for the most part. (…) Traders are not too interested in barley trade yet. Rising freight costs create powerful constraints. There is a demand for Ukrainian barley, but the grain is too expensive: for liquidity in river ports the price tag should be 110-$120/ton on terms of CPT, but farmers will not supply at such a low price”, – analysts explained.
According to their information, market participants are afraid of repeated Russian attacks on the infrastructure of the Danube ports. Besides, it is more profitable for agrarians to take barley to the borders than to Reni, particularly to Chop, where the price is $140/ton. Even farmers from the central regions have started to be interested in auto-delivery of barley to Romania – logistics is cheaper, experts added.
They also noted the activity of barley processors on the barley market. Their purchase prices are now 4500-5200 UAH/ton.
“In the first week of September, the conditional prices for barley can grow to $195-202/ton on the basis of DAP Constanta, to $142-147/ton – on the basis of SRT river ports”, – predicted in VAR.
The trade flow of agricultural products through road and railway checkpoints in Volyn increased 19 times in 2022, and the number of food products (1-24 groups of UKTZED) cleared by customs posts in the “export” mode increased 10 times, the press service of the Volyn Customs reported.
“Volyn Customs coped with a significant increase in workload due to promptly taken measures to optimize the time of customs procedures, redistribution of personnel, joint projects with border guards and the Polish side of the pilot projects of vehicle passage,” the report quotes the head of Volyn Customs Yuriy Ivaskiv as saying at a field meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy.
Commenting on the work of Polish veterinary services on the Ukrainian-Polish border, Ivaskiv said that the Ukrainian side had repeatedly raised this issue at international meetings. However, the Polish side has stated that it is impossible to speed up these types of state control due to contradictions with the legislation of the European Union.
“Certain types of control (in particular, veterinary control – IF-U) can only be carried out at the border,” Ivaskiv reminded.
He noted that in August of this year, on average, 625 trucks were accepted at the Dorohusk checkpoint from Yahodyn per day, of which only 43 were carrying food products. Given the fact that all grain goods, including technical grain, are sent by the customs authorities for veterinary control, and product samples are examined within 2-3 days, trucks with this category of goods are waiting to cross Yahodyn in a separate electronic queue, he explained.
Ivaskiv reminded Volyn agricultural producers of the new requirements of the Customs Code, which will come into force on November 7, 2023. He recommended that everyone should not hesitate to apply for customs simplification in the NCTS or the status of an authorized economic operator (AEO).
“This will allow agricultural businesses to export products to the European market without having to present the goods to customs,” summarized the head of the Volyn Customs.
The current forecast of rapeseed harvest in Ukraine will be a record and will reach a maximum of 4.2 million tons due to expanded sown areas and high yields, the export potential of the market and its processed products will also reach a maximum, according to the analytical agency Ukragroconsult.
“The key to achieving such results is not only a large harvest and the launch of new processing facilities, but also the solution of logistical issues,” the report says.
According to analysts, in July, the export statistics showed a rather active start of the season, which is important in the absence of a grain corridor. Logistics has shifted to the Danube ports and land routes through the western borders.
Due to the constant attacks on the port infrastructure, the September contracts are focused on the road and rail logistics of rapeseed, experts said, citing information from market participants.
The analytical agency pointed to the change in the geography of exports of rapeseed and its products. Now the sales of Ukrainian rapeseed are focused not so much on the European Union, but on the UK, Switzerland and Bangladesh. The situation is similar with rapeseed oil, which is exported mainly to China and Malaysia instead of the EU market. At the same time, 95% of rapeseed meal goes to the EU market, while the remaining 5% goes to Vietnam.
As of August 22, 2023, Ukraine exported about 500 thsd tonnes of rapeseed and more than 58 thsd tonnes of rapeseed oil, analysts say, adding that current export figures allow us to consider optimistic scenarios.
27 leading agrarian associations have expressed support for the first deputy minister of agrarian policy and food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyy and consider unacceptable the appearance of unproven accusations, the press service of the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB) reported.
“Highly appreciating the activities of law enforcement agencies in the fight against corruption, the agrarian community expresses confidence that in this case an unfortunate mistake may be made,” the statement emphasized.
Agrarian associations called the charges brought against Vysotsky “premature”, and his decisions “taken in the interests of the state and society”.
The business community noted Vysotsky’s high professionalism in the management and coordination of the industry, thanks to which it was possible to avoid disruptions in food supply and ensure food security of regions in need of immediate food aid in the conditions of a full-scale invasion.
Leading agrarian associations called on law enforcement agencies, in particular the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), to take into account their opinion and objectively consider all case materials, circumstances, facts and make the right conclusions regarding “one of the most decent and professional officials”.
As reported, on August 24, 2023, the information of the NABU on suspicion of Vysotskyy in committing a criminal offense consisting in the deliberate use of official position in order to obtain an undue benefit for a legal entity contrary to the interests of the state was made public.
