Ukraine in 2019 exported 236,800 tonnes of sugar, which is almost 2.5 times less than in the same period last year, the Ukrtsukor National Association of Sugar Producers has reported. “This year was not very favorable for Ukrainian sugar producers, and compared with the past year, we can see that exports have completely dipped: if earlier exports over the month reached 40,000-60,000 tonnes, then during the last six months, on average, we exported about 5,000 tonnes of sugar per month,” Ruslana Yanenko, the deputy chairman of the board of Ukrtsukor, said.
First of all, the expert associates this with the world surplus, which “pressed” the market and prices. In addition, according to Yanenko, Ukraine was gradually losing the markets of Africa and Asia, which once occupied the leading positions in the import of Ukrainian sugar, through growing competition from Russia and the EU.
“Next year, significant changes in the export perspective will not happen, as unfavorable world prices will continue to affect the decrease in raw materials and the reduction in sugar production, and competition in the markets that were most profitable for Ukrainian producers will intensify,” she said.
In addition, the association noted that in December 2019 some 6,900 tonnes of sugar were exported. Thus, in total for the four months of the current 2019/2020 marketing year (MY, September-August), 21,800 tonnes of sugar were delivered to foreign markets. This is almost 10 times less than in the same period of the last MY.
Ukraine since the beginning of the agricultural year 2019/2020 (July-June) has exported 31.7 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops, which is 27.8% more than during the same time in the past agri-year.
According to the information of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumers’ Protection, the country has currently exported almost 15 million tonnes of wheat (including over 11.7 million tonnes of bread wheat and over 3.2 million tonnes of coarse wheat), 12.8 million tonnes of corn, and 3.6 million tonnes of barley.
Over the same period of the previous agri-year, over 24.8 million tonnes of grains were exported, including 10.8 million tonnes of wheat (6.7 million tonnes of bread wheat and 4.1 million tonnes of coarse wheat), 10.4 million tonnes of corn and over 3 million tonnes of barley.
As reported, Ukraine in the 2018/2019 agri-year exported a record 50.4 million tonnes of grain, legumes and flour, which is 23% more than in the previous agri-year.
Main trade partners of Ukraine in % from total volume (export from Ukraine to other countries) in Jan-Oct 2019
The Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim intends to resume exports of oil products in January, Belneftekhim Deputy CEO Vladimir Sizov said.
“The resumption of [exports of oil products] is expected in January,” the state news agency BelTA quoted Sizov as saying on Saturday.
The resumption of exports “depends on how rhythmically and quickly the contracts are concluded,” he said.
“We expect that all possible restrictions will be lifted by the end of January – at least this is an optimistic scenario,” Sizov said.
Ukraine has retained the zero quotas for exports of unprocessed gold and silver (apart from banking metals) and scrap precious metals and extended the licensing of exports of anthracite for 2020.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved resolution No. 1109 on December 24 and posted it on its website on December 27.
In addition, according to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in 2020, exports and imports of the respective substances and goods will be licensed as previously.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine stops issuing certificates for beverages named Cognac, Armagnac, Grappa, Brandy and Sherry as the transition period after the signing of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) Agreement expired. According to Annex III of the Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, the countries of origin that can use names Cognac, Armagnac, Grappa, Brandy and Sherry are only France, Italy and Spain.
“Given that Ukraine has passed the transition period after signing the DCFTA, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry stops issuing certificates for drinks called Cognac, Armagnac, Grappa, Brandy and Sherry,” First Vice President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mykhailo Nepran said.
He said that from now on Ukraine will export sparkling wine and brandy, in accordance with the foreign activity codes.
As reported, the DCFTA trade area between Ukraine and the European Union began to operate on January 1, 2016.
