Kernel Agro Group is completing the construction of Starokonstantinov Oil Extraction Plant (SEP) in Khmelnitsky Oblast, CEO of the agro-holding Evgeniy Osipov said at the Grain Ukraine-2023 international grain conference.
“As early as next year, we will finish the construction of the Starokonstantinovsky Oil Extraction Plant, which will be able to process 1 million tons of sunflower annually,” he said in a statement on the company’s Facebook page on Wednesday.
According to Osipov, Kernel has invested more than $800 million in the Ukrainian market over the past few years.
“Each of our initiatives is implemented with the goal of strengthening the country’s agricultural potential. We must be ready to accept the products of Ukrainian farmers in time. We must provide all necessary services to our agrarians so that they can sell their products, get the necessary resources and invest them into production,” he stressed.
Osipov clarified that “Kernel” intends to increase the volume of processing and production of products with added value. To do this it is important to build effective logistics for the company’s partners to export their products.
“Our task is to increase the efficiency of the business system,” explained the CEO of Kernel.
As reported, in February 2023, “Kernel” acquired the river terminal “Danube Prom Agro” in the Ukrainian port of Reni on the Danube.
Kernel Agro Holding before the war was the world’s number one producer of sunflower oil (about 7% of world production) and its exports (about 12%). The company is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. Kernel is also involved in crop growing and sales of agricultural products.
The largest co-owner of Kernel, through Namsen Ltd. – Ukrainian businessman Andrei Verevskyi, with a 41.3% stake, has recently proposed Kernel’s delisting from the Warsaw Stock Exchange and a buyout of its shares from other shareholders.
For the first half of fiscal 2023 (FY, July-December 2022), Kernel cut its net profit by 12.6% YoY to $370.3
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk believes that it is better to invest in social hostels for IDPs than in the construction of modular towns.
“Today we have 25 modular camps in Ukraine. At most 5 thousand internally displaced people live in them. We have 4.8 million internally displaced people. Is it effective? As for me, it is better to invest in social hostels,” Vereshchuk said on the air of a national telethon on Friday.
According to her, there are a lot of dwellings in Ukraine, which, after being repaired, can be suitable for people living there.
Vereshchuk also drew attention to the fact that the modular hostels need to be maintained, which requires funds.
Share of new buildings, in which construction was resumed, by regions of Ukraine in march 2023
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Switzerland’s Nestlé, the world’s largest producer of food and soft drinks, has launched the announced construction of a plant to manufacture pasta and other food products in the Smolyhiv village, Torchyna district, Volyn region. Earlier the company invested CHF40 million (nearly $45 million) in the project, business.rayon reported.
Alessandro Zanelli, general director of Nestlé in Ukraine and Southeast Europe, expressed confidence Wednesday at a ceremony marking the start of construction that the plant in Torchin will become a European regional hub for the culinary category.
“I’ve seen Ukrainian cities that were destroyed after all kinds of attacks and how they were rebuilt within a year. The Ukrainians are working successfully to rebuild the infrastructure. Of course, we are calculating the possible risks, but we are confident that we are doing the right thing. Ukraine is worth investing in,” said Marco Sattembri, executive vice president of Nestlé and chief executive of the European zone.
It is specified that at the first stage of work the enterprise will create 300-400 workplaces. Specialists from Kharkov, where there is already a factory producing instant noodles “Mivina”, and local staff are involved in the work at the plant.
Nestle is one of the world’s largest food producers, headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. The company has 376 factories in 84 countries and produces chocolate and confectionery products, ready-made breakfasts, pet food, baby and medical food, coffee, mineral water, etc. Its portfolio includes more than 2 thousand brands, including Nestle, Nescafe, KitKat, Gerber and Maggi.
Nestle in Ukraine produces coffee and beverages, confectionary, culinary products (cold sauces, seasonings, soups, instant food), baby and special food, ready-made breakfasts and pet food. The most famous Ukrainian brands of the company are Svitoch, Torchin and Miwina.
As reported, in December 2022, Nestle announced its decision to open the production of “Mivina” in Volyn.
NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine has refused to implement the UAH 1 billion project to build the first powerful biofuel CHP in Lviv that was launched when Yuri Vitrenko was in charge of the company, Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovoy said.
“Unfortunately, we have not found the support of “Naftogaz” in the implementation of this project, so now the process is suspended. We are directing all our energy, in particular, to the construction of a waste recycling plant,” he told Energoreform correspondent on the sidelines of the high-level meeting “Agreement of Mayors in Ukraine: Planning Sustainable Development Together” in Lviv on Wednesday.
At the same time, Sadovy noted that no money was allocated from the city budget for the CHP construction project. “It was an initiative of the former head of Naftogaz (Yuriy Vitrenko – ER), but today the management of the company has a different opinion regarding such projects in Ukraine,” the Lviv mayor explained.
At the same time, he pointed out that among other things there is a waste composting station in Lviv, and other eco-projects aimed at reducing CO2 emissions are implemented.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, in September 2022, the Naftogaz of Ukraine jointly with the Lviv City Council launched a project to construct a combined heat and power plant on wood chips, which was planned to be put into operation by February 2023.
As Vitrenko said then, the cost of the project for the company will cost approximately UAH 1 billion.
Sadovaya, in turn, noted that for the city it will be the first powerful CHP plant on alternative fuel, which will cover about a quarter of its needs in heat. “We have planned such a project with the EBRD for a long time, but according to their classical procedures we could start it only next year. But Russian aggression has so activated the thought process that we came to agreements with Naftogaz,” he explained.
Similar projects were planned in other cities: under Vitrenko, Naftogaz announced its intention to build at least nine combined heat and power plants in eight regions of Ukraine with a total capacity of 250 MW of thermal energy and 52 MW of electrical energy.
According to Sadovyy, the construction of a waste processing plant in Lviv is planned to be completed by the end of this year. The works are 25% completed.
“Covenant of Mayors in Ukraine: planning sustainable development together” is the biggest movement in the world concerning climate and energy, which started in the European Union in 2008. Now the initiative unites 11 thousand local and regional authorities in 55 countries of the world. For today almost 300 Ukrainian communities have joined the climate movement. They have developed 180 action plans aimed at solving energy and climate problems. Signatories of the agreement in Ukraine have pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 25 million tons per year.
Share of new buildings, in which construction was resumed, by regions of Ukraine
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
