Ostchem’s nitrogen holding plants produced 515.5 thousand tons of mineral fertilizers in the first quarter of 2023, up 36.2% year-on-year, Group DF said in a statement on Friday.
According to it, Cherkasy Azot produced 387.4 thousand tons and Rivneazot produced 128 thousand tons, while Azot produced 137.8 thousand tons in March, the maximum since the beginning of the full-scale war.
“Lower gas prices have reduced the selling prices of mineral fertilizers. As fertilizers became more affordable, we started selling more and showed very good results. This spring, the high utilization of enterprises lasts longer than usual,” a comment by Oleg Arestarhov, head of Group DF’s corporate communications department, is quoted in the report.
It is pointed out that the key products produced by Ostchem plants were urea, UAN (Urea Ammonium Nitrate Network), ammonium nitrate, and lime ammonium nitrate (LAN). Urea output in the first quarter increased 4.7 times, to 106,500 tonnes, and UAN output 2.1 times, to 108,500 tonnes.
Production of ammonium nitrate increased from 217.1 thousand tons to 255.4 thousand tons, while UAN production fell from 62.3 thousand tons to 10.6 thousand tons.
“The structure of production corresponds to the structure of demand. The further demand will determine the production load of the plants, the terms of the repair campaign,” Arestarhov pointed out.
Among the new market trends the company highlighted the active supply of fertilizers in the de-occupied territories (Kherson, Nikolaev, Chernigov and Sumy regions). And among the factors constraining the growth of the fertilizer market, it noted an increase of marketing and logistics risks of agribusiness, such as the uncertainty of the prospects for a grain agreement, and restrictions on imports of Ukrainian grain, introduced in April 2023 by some EU countries.
As reported in early February, Group DF’s nitrogen holding Ostchem reported on the planned increase of its capacity utilization for the production of mineral fertilizers at Cherkasy Azot from 30% to 70%, and Rivneazot – up to 50% due to the seasonal increase in demand
Group DF earlier estimated the volume of consumption of ammonium nitrate by the Ukrainian market in 2022 at 1 million tons (import – 330 thousand tons); urea – 410 thousand tons (import – 225 thousand tons); UAN – 580 thousand tons (import – 190 thousand tons), stating that the expected increase in fertilizer consumption in 2023 by 15-20%.
Ukraine’s population at the end of 2022 was about 31.4 million people, of which about 1.15 million live in the temporarily occupied territories, according to experts at the Ukrainian Health Center (UHC).
“The war has resulted in an unprecedented migration crisis and large-scale internal displacements. UCH estimates that at the end of 2022, Ukraine’s population was about 31.4 million people. Of these, 1.15 million people live in the temporarily Russian-occupied territories seized after the start of the invasion,” the center’s report on the health care system after the start of the active invasion states.
The center’s experts also note that in the year after the start of the full-scale invasion, the system of outpatient and specialized medical care has fully recovered, in contrast to the system of primary medical care.
“The consumption of medical services at various levels declined in the first months after the invasion. However, outpatient and specialized medical care gradually recovered to prewar levels during 2022. Primary medical care has not resumed and requires support,” the center’s experts stressed.
A new application “TurBOT about IDPs” has started working in Ukraine: the chatbot is designed to help internally displaced persons integrate into the host communities, the Ministry of Reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory reports.
“For example, with the help of a chat-bot it will be possible to find housing in the new region, find out what documents are necessary to obtain IDP status, how and where to get help, addresses and phone numbers of the CPAU and the like. For convenience, all the information in the chat-bot is grouped by relevant sections,” reads the report of the Ministry of Information in Telegram-channel on Saturday.
Reportedly, so far the application has been developed for four cities: Kiev, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernovtsy. In the future it is planned to increase the number of settlements where it will work.
The project is realized by Crimean Tatar Resource Center within the framework of Social Activism Program “Join Us!” financed by the USAID and implemented by Pact in Ukraine.
To use the “TurBOT about IDPs” chatbot, you should use the link. (https://t.me/chat_bot_vpo_bot)
In 2023, 537 couples will undergo free infertility treatment, while in 2022, 467 families did so, the director of the Medical Services Department of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Aleksandra Mashkevych said.
“The procedure is completely free of charge and guaranteed by the state. Of course, I can’t say that the procedure will be completely successful for all couples – it’s the kind of process where no one ever gives a 100% guarantee. But we have a 50% success rate of insemination”, – she said on the air of a telethon on Thursday.
Mashkevych said that couples can undergo the free procedure within the program in three medical centers managed by the Ministry of Health in Kiev, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kharkiv.
She specified that within the framework of the state program, the first procedure is free of charge. If it is not successful, the next attempts are made at the expense of the patients.
However, she noted that the Ministry of Health is planning to initiate changes in the state program, under which a greater number of attempts for women of certain categories should be free.
“We in the Ministry are working on it. The parliamentary committee of the nation’s health, medical care and health insurance is also actively involved. We hope that in the near future the law on assisted reproductive technologies, which will more deeply regulate the procedure of assisted reproductive technologies and make the procedure accessible to more of our citizens, will be published in the state,” – she said.
Mashkevych said that the average price of one attempt of artificial insemination may amount to 40-50 thousand hryvnias.
Ukraine will receive 300 million yen (equivalent to almost 80 million UAH) from Japan to buy medical equipment that will equip Ukrainian hospitals with modern medical equipment, particularly endoscopes, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers said.
“The Government of Ukraine has approved the draft Agency Agreement on the implementation of the Japanese grant aid. The agreement will be concluded between the Government of Ukraine and the company Crown Agents Japan Ltd”, – reported on the government portal.
Grant assistance in the amount of 300 million Japanese yen (the equivalent of almost 80 million UAH) is provided for the purchase of special equipment (endoscopes) for Ukrainian medical institutions, according to the press service.
“The health care system is one of the most affected by the war – the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation has put a great strain on it. This is due not only to the mass systematic destruction of medical facilities, but also to the growing demand for certain types of medical care and services that were not previously a priority. Already now, 177 health care facilities have been completely destroyed, with 1,433 damaged. We are working not just to restore the damaged, but to rebuild better,” said Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, quoted by the press service.
According to him, for more than a year, Ukraine together with its partners manages to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of hospitals even near the front lines.
“Despite the shelling and the challenges faced by the Ukrainian healthcare system, with the support of international partners we are restoring the medical infrastructure, and the best equipment continues to appear in our hospitals. A grant from Japan will provide even more Ukrainian doctors and hospitals with modern medical equipment, which will make quality medical care more accessible to Ukrainian patients. We are very grateful for such a strong shoulder of help at a difficult time for us,” the minister said.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey laid the crown of St. Edward upon the head of King Charles III of Great Britain.
After the crown touched the monarch’s head, the guests of the ceremony followed the archbishop in shouting, “God save the king!” Gun salutes began throughout the kingdom.
Charles III will now be enthroned, after which the archbishop, clergy and Prince William of Wales will swear allegiance to him. Those present in the abbey will also be able to take the oath of allegiance to the king. British television viewers will also have the opportunity to do so, which has become an innovation.
Next will be the coronation of Queen Consort Camilla.
Charles III is the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned in Westminster Abbey since 1066.
