Ukraine exported 2,670 tonnes of cheese in January-April 2018, which is 7.8% more than in the same period in 2017. According to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service, in monetary terms exports increased by 20%, to $10.18 million. Cheese imports in January-April 2018 amounted to 3,730 tonnes, which is 31.7% more than in the same period in 2017. In monetary terms this figure increased by 1.5 times, to $19.01 million.
Exports of butter from Ukraine in January-April of this year increased by 2.2 times, to 12,160 tonnes. In monetary terms the figure amounted to $52 million against $19.97 million in the same period in 2017. Butter imports rose by 2.4 times, to 393 tonnes ($2.53 million).
Exports of milk and cream (condensed) in January-April 2018 decreased by 1.4 times, to 9,830 tonnes. Ukraine supplied condensed milk and cream for a total of $16.69 million, which is 1.5 times less than in January-April 2017.
Ukraine in January-April 2018 exported 98,360 tonnes of poultry, which is 2.6% more than in the same period in 2017, the State Fiscal Service has reported. According to its data, in monetary terms exports of these products increased by 21%, to $150.09 million.
Imports of poultry for the four months of 2018 increased by 27.7%, to 40,000 tonnes, in monetary terms by 35.8%, to $16.73 million.
According to the service, exports of pork in January-April 2018 decreased by 66.7% compared to the corresponding period in 2017, to 810 tonnes. Exports amounted to $1.88 million against $4.7 million in the four months of 2017.
Pork imports to Ukraine during this period increased by 4.6 times, to 3,310 tonnes. The country imported pork for $5.91 million against $1.24 million in January-April 2017.
As reported, with reference to customs data of the fiscal service, Ukraine in 2017 increased the supply of pork to foreign markets by 1.6 times, to 4,920 tonnes, imports of this product doubled, to 5,600 tonnes.
Ukraine in January-February 2018 considerably increased exports of medicines to Russia, cutting their imports from the country. According to the State Statistics Service, in January-February 2018, Ukraine exported medicines for $3.5 million to Russia, which is 18% more than a year ago. Imports of medicines from Russia to Ukraine over the period fell by 40.4%, to $2.85 million.
Last year Ukraine exported medicines to Russia for $27.89 million, which is 31.9% more than a year ago, and imported medicines for $29.79 million from Russia (15.9% down). In 2017, Ukraine exported medicines for $171.17 million, including to the CIS for $143.057 million.
As reported, at present, because of the sanctions imposed on Russia, Russia is discussing the ways of replacing imported medicines and reducing dependence on foreign pharmaceutical companies. The decline in the imports of Russian medicines to Ukraine began after the introduction of the requirement of compliance of drugs with GMP standards in Ukraine.
Ukraine as of April 17, 2018 fully used six quotas for duty free exports of goods under the agreement on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU (DCFTA), in particular for honey, malt and wheat gluten, preserved tomatoes, grape and apple juices, as well as wheat and corn. According to a report on the website of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB), Ukraine also used the second quarterly quota for export of poultry and the six month quota for butter. The quotas for cereals and flour have been used by 95%.
“This year there was a revival in the pace of using the quotas: as of the same date in 2017, the volume of wheat had not yet been used, and the quota for malt and wheat gluten had not been used in the past year. The fact that along with six key quotas four more are closed indicates the intensification of trade relations with the EU,” an analyst of the foreign trade in agricultural products of the UCAB, Daria Hrytsenko, said.
According to the results in January-February of this year, agri-food exports from Ukraine to the EU increased 28.1%, or $224.7 million compared to the same period last year, and reached $1.025 billion, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
