Rice production in Ukraine in 2022 due to a full-scale war decreased 16 times compared to the previous year and amounted to only 3.1 thousand tons, while in the season-2023 this figure may increase by 3.5 times – up to 11 thousand tons, reported the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB).
Its analysts recall that before the war, Odessa and Kherson regions were engaged in rice cultivation due to natural and climatic conditions.
“Due to the Russian attack, part of the territory of Kherson region was occupied, accordingly, Ukraine lost the opportunity to grow rice on these lands as early as last year. It should be noted that the production of this crop was mainly engaged in the left-bank part of the region, which is still under temporary occupation. Therefore, for a year and a half we have no possibility to get rice from this part of Ukraine,” the experts noted, adding that after the Kakhovskaya HPP dam was blown up, the chance of revival of rice farming in this region is extremely low.
According to their information, now only Odessa region is engaged in rice farming, which in 2022 grew about 3.1 thousand tons. Experts explained such small volumes by the uncertainty at the beginning of the war and reorientation to higher priority crops. As forecasted in UCAB, that in 2023 the situation in the region will slightly improve and the own production of rice will reach about 11 thousand tons.
Analysts also emphasized that Ukraine has always imported more rice than it grows, as there are countries where natural and climatic conditions are more favorable for growing this crop. However, the ability to provide itself with the necessary foodstuffs, guaranteeing its own food security, is also important.
Despite the war and the destruction of traditional logistical routes, the volume of rice imports remains at a relatively stable level, assures the UCAB.
According to its data, Ukraine imported 87.6 thousand tons of rice in 2022, which is 5% more than in 2021. The main supplier countries were China, India and Pakistan.
“In 2023, imports are expected at 73 thousand tons – 17% lower than in 2022. The reduction in imports is due to the increase in world rice prices and the low solvency of Ukrainians,” the UCAB summarized.
Due to a month of scheduled repairs of railway infrastructure in Przemyśl (Poland) in September, Ukrzaliznytsia JSC (UZ) will cancel a number of trains in this direction, assigning a new train to Chełm and changing the schedules of several operating trains, the UZ press service reported on Telegram.
“On September 8, Polish Railways will start the planned infrastructure repairs in Przemyśl. This could have meant the cancellation of all flights in this direction, but together with our Polish colleagues, we minimized the impact of the repair work,” UZ said.
For the duration of the repair work, from September 7 to October 6, train services #89/90 Kyiv-Premysl and #73/74 Kharkiv-Premysl departing from Kyiv and Kharkiv will be canceled, the statement said.
At the same time, a new train No. 119/120 Kyiv-Chelm will be launched on September 3, which will become the third daily train to Chełm. The train will depart from Kyiv at 6:28 and arrive in Chełm at 17:27, conveniently connecting with the Polish IC 21100, which departs from Chełm at 18:12 and arrives at Warsaw Skhidna station at 21:02. In the opposite direction, the IC12100 train arrives in Chełm at 8:42 a.m., which will allow for a transfer to a train at 10:23 a.m. arriving in Kyiv at 22:45 p.m., the UZ press service said, noting that passengers of the newly designated train will not be checked at the border at night.
“This flight will be convenient for those who have flights from Warsaw Chopin Airport after 23:00 or early in the morning (Cairo, Ostrava, Munich, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna),” the UZ press service said.
During the “repair month,” two Intercity+ trains will continue to run on Fridays and Saturdays, departing from Kyiv on September 7-8, 14-15, 21-22. In particular, the existing Intercity+ train No. 705/706 Kyiv-Premysl and the new train No. 707/708 Kyiv-Premysl will depart from Kyiv at 22:17 and arrive in Przemyśl at 6:23, and return from Przemyśl at 11:15, arriving in Kyiv at 20:41.
Trains #53/54 Kyiv-Premysl, #89/90 Kyiv-Premysl, #31/32 Zaporizhzhia-Premysl, #35/36 Odesa-Premysl, #73/74 Kharkiv-Premysl, #715/716 Kyiv-Premysl will be canceled on September 7-8, 14-15, 21-22.
Due to repairs in September, the schedule of trains #54 and #36 will also be changed. Train #54 Przemyśl-Kyiv will depart from Przemyśl at 13:45 (instead of 20:28) and arrive in Kyiv at 5:34 (instead of 9:00). Train No. 36 Przemyśl-Odesa will depart at 13:45 (instead of 20:28) and arrive in Odesa at 8:10 am.
Thus, despite the repairs near Przemysl, the number of seats offered by UZ to Poland in September will even increase by about 100 due to the new flight to Chełm (three pairs of trains on weekends), UZ emphasized, noting that after the repair work is completed in October, if popular, the additional flight to Chełm will be maintained. In this case, the number of tickets to Poland will increase by 10%.
Ukraine’s reconstruction should follow SMART principles and be man-centered, believes Alexander Nasikovsky, co-founder and managing partner of DIM Group.
“SMART principles (the goal should be Specific – specific, Measurable – measurable, Achievable – achievable, Relevant – meaningful, Time bound – timely) imply an integrated approach to the restoration of territories, focusing on engineering communications, infrastructure, social facilities and, of course, housing. Energy independence becomes a fundamental component of this approach,” Nasikovsky emphasized in his comments to Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, DIM specialists have studied the experience of many countries, in particular Sweden, and developed geothermal pump systems for apartment buildings.
“This allows to save up to 40% on heating and reduce energy consumption by 35 kWh per square meter,” Nasikovsky explained, adding that elements of sustainable energy independence of DIM projects were also solar panels on places of common use and street lighting.
The key role in the rehabilitation projects, according to Nasikovskiy, will be played by infrastructure created in accordance with the real needs and desires of residents.
“The life of restored communities should be rich, so we developed the concept of community centers, educational hubs, and places for commercial initiatives that meet the real demands and needs of people,” added the DIM co-founder.
Implementing these ideas, he believes, requires collaboration between the public and private sector, analysis and consideration of behavioral trends and a shared understanding of the needs of today’s community.
“Recovery is a challenge, but we are ready to change lives for the better, taking into account the SMART principles and the efforts of all spheres of public life,” Nasikowski emphasized.
As reported, according to the research of the project “Russia will pay” at the end of June, the amount of damage to housing during the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation is $56 billion.
Founded in 2014, DIM GC consists of six companies covering all stages of construction.
To date, the GC has commissioned 12 houses in six residential complexes. Seven residential complexes of “comfort+” and “business class” category are under construction: Novy Avtograf, Metropolis, Park Lake City, Lucky Land and others.
52% of employers believe that psychological problems and behavioral peculiarities hinder the employment of veterans with disabilities, according to the research of the charitable foundation “You are with us”.
In particular, when asked what peculiarities of veterans with disabilities hinder their employment, 24% of employers answered that there are no peculiarities, 52% noted psychological problems and behavioral peculiarities, 19% – alcoholism and drug use, and 5% believe that veterans with disabilities should receive assistance from the state so that there is no need to work.
Also, when asked what incentives the employer needs from the state to employ a veteran with a disability, respondents most often named: compensation for the cost of equipping workplaces for the needs of an employee with a disability; benefits for the payment of unified social tax; and subsidies for each such employed employee.
The survey was conducted in April-July 2023. In the course of the research 468 managers and owners of small, medium and large enterprises in all regions of the country and different sectors of the economy were interviewed. Surveys were conducted under conditions of anonymity by telephone questionnaire. It is noted that 18% of surveyed enterprises have more than 100 employees, 28% – up to 100 employees and 54% – up to 20 employees.
disability, employer, EMPLOYMENT, psychological problems, ветеран
Benchmark crude oil prices are rising on Thursday afternoon amid a weaker US dollar.
The price of October futures for Brent on the London-based ICE Futures exchange at 14:54 Q2 stands at $84.18 per barrel, up 73 cents (0.87%) from the previous session’s close.
Quotes of futures for WTI crude oil for September at the electronic trading of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) by the specified time rose by 72 cents (0.91%) and amounted to $80.1 per barrel.
The DXY index, which reflects the value of the U.S. currency against six other major world currencies, is down 0.2% in Thursday trading, boosting the appeal of commodities traded there.
“Bulls” in the oil market are seeking to break a streak of three consecutive sessions in the negative, associated with concerns about demand from China and rising US Treasuries yields, among other things, writes MarketWatch.
After the release of strong macroeconomic data, the yield on 10-year U.S. government bonds reached the maximum since 2008, the online edition notes. Meanwhile, weak statistics from the People’s Republic of China and increased concerns about the Chinese real estate market had a negative impact on the assessment of the prospects for consumption by the economy of this country.
KP “Kharkiv Metro” on August 16 announced a tender for the purchase of services of compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of land vehicles (OSAGO), according to the system of electronic public procurement Prozorro.
The expected cost is UAH 137,175 thousand.
Documents for participation are accepted until August 24, 2023.
As reported, the winner of a similar tender a year earlier was IC Ukrainian Fire Insurance Company.
