As of May 1, Ukraine exported 41.365 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2023/24 marketing year, of which 6.314 mln tonnes were shipped in April, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine reported, citing the data of the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 41.595 mln tons, including 3.619 mln tons in April.
In terms of crops, since the beginning of the current season, 15.778 million tons of wheat have been exported (in April, the figure was 1.936 million tons), 2.202 million tons of barley (231 thousand tons), 1.2 thousand tons of rye (0.2 thousand tons), 22.906 million tons of corn (4.136 million tons).
The total export of Ukrainian flour as of May 1 is significantly lower than last year’s figure (127.7 thousand tons) and is estimated at 86.6 thousand tons (7.4 thousand tons in April), including wheat – 81.9 thousand tons (6.8 thousand tons).
As reported, a number of sources in the Ukrainian market suggested that grain exports in April 2024 could be reduced to 5 million tons due to the constant shelling of port infrastructure by Russian troops, which made it difficult for a number of leading traders to supply agricultural products to foreign markets.
Ukraine’s exports in April this year increased by 11% compared to March and reached 13.1 million tons, the best result since the full-scale Russian invasion, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko said on Facebook on Wednesday.
“This is an absolute record for the entire period of the full-scale war. For example, in March, exports amounted to 11.8 million tons, in January – 12 million tons. Importantly, this figure is higher than the level of pre-war February 2022. Back then, we exported 12.8 million tons,” the Minister of Economy reminded.
According to her, in monetary terms, exports in April amounted to $3.3 billion compared to $3.2 billion in March.
Svyrydenko noted that the growth in exports was primarily due to the operation of an alternative sea corridor, which made it possible to partially compensate for losses in the economy due to the blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border, as well as the introduction of a mechanism for insuring ships against military risks, which initially applied only to agricultural products, but was soon expanded to all non-military cargo.
“Of course, the growth and expansion of the capacity of the Solidarity Roads, primarily with Moldova and Romania, has also added to the growth. And the improvement of the conditions for the transportation of goods by rail to the Danube ports,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Customs inspectors have prevented an attempt to export 1.5 thousand tons of Ukrainian wheat worth UAH 9.2 million to Italy without a license using falsified documents, the press service of the State Customs Service (SCS) reported on Telegram.
“At the Mukachevo customs post, customs declarations for the export of domestic wheat (not for sowing) were submitted for customs clearance. The total weight of the goods was indicated as more than 1.5 thousand tons worth UAH 9.2 million. The seller of the goods was a Kharkiv-based company,” the statement said.
According to the State Customs Service, customs officers noticed that the goods were not licensed for export. During the inspection, it turned out that the director of the Kharkiv company resorted to tricks to circumvent the licensing of agricultural exports, and in the shipping documents he indicated an Italian company as the recipient of the goods. The export of wheat to Italy, unlike other EU countries, is not subject to licensing.
The foreign company responded to the State Customs Service’s request and denied the information about the purchase of Ukrainian wheat in a letter. For its part, the Italian customs also officially confirmed that there are no declarations in their database related to the Italian company that bought the goods.
“Two reports on violation of customs regulations under Part 1 of Article 483 of the Customs Code of Ukraine were drawn up against the head of the Kharkiv company for submitting documents containing false information about the recipient of the goods. The sanction of the article provides not only for the imposition of a fine in the amount of 50 to 100% of the value of the offense items, but also for their possible confiscation,” the State Customs Service emphasized.
In January-March this year, Ukraine’s metallurgical enterprises increased their revenues from ferrous metal exports by 28.9% year-on-year to $752.5 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), ferrous metals accounted for 7.48% of total export revenues in this period, compared to 5.66% in January-March 2023.
In March, revenues from exports of ferrous metals amounted to $230.184 million.
At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 23.9% to $322.788 million in January-March this year. In March, products worth $101.233 million were imported.
In addition, in the first three months of 2024, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 5.6% to $230.009 million. In March, they were exported for $77.626 million.
Imports of metal products increased by 33.9% to $233.253 million over the same period. In March, these products were imported for $88.481 million.
As reported earlier, in 2023, Ukraine’s steelmaking companies reduced revenues from exports of ferrous metals by 41.59% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.722 million, with ferrous metals accounting for 7.32% of total revenues from exports of goods during this period, while in 2022 the share was 10.26%. At the same time, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% to $1 billion 307.046 million.
In addition, last year, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% year-on-year to $877.916 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3% to $902.565 million during this period.
In 2022, Ukraine decreased revenues from ferrous metal exports by 67.5% compared to 2021, to $4 billion 533.088 million. During this period, ferrous metals accounted for 10.26% of total revenues from exports of goods, compared to 20.49% in 2021. At the same time, in 2022, Ukraine reduced imports of similar products by 38.3% to $954.387 million.
In addition, in 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 18.6% to $1 billion 52.512 million. Imports of metal products fell by 42.9% to $643.162 million over the year.
Mining enterprises of Ukraine in January-March this year increased exports of iron ore raw materials (iron ore) in physical terms by 2.5 times compared to the same period last year – up to 9 million 4,370 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), foreign currency earnings from iron ore exports increased by 2.1 times to $863.315 million for the period.
Exports of iron ore were mainly to China (43.02% of shipments in monetary terms), Slovakia (17.02%) and Poland (12.41%).
In the first three months of 2024 Ukraine imported $67 thousand worth of iron ore in the total volume of 245 tons, while in January-March 2023 it imported $22 thousand worth of iron ore in the total volume of 36 tons. Imports were made from the Netherlands (31.82%), Norway (19.70%) and Italy (18.18%).
As reported, Ukraine in 2023 reduced exports of iron ore in physical terms by 26% compared to 2022 – to 17 million 753.165 thousand tons, foreign currency earnings from iron ore exports amounted to $1 billion 766.906 million (down 39.3%). Exports of iron ore were mainly exported to Slovakia (28.39% of shipments in monetary terms), the Czech Republic (19.74%) and Poland (19.56%).
Last year Ukraine imported iron ore products worth $135 thousand in the total volume of 250 tons. Imports for this period were made from Norway (34.81%), Italy (28.89%) and the Netherlands (28.89%). Whereas in 2022, $65 thousand worth of iron ore was imported in a total volume of 101 tons.
Ukraine in 2022 decreased its iron ore exports in physical terms by 45.9% compared to 2021 – to 23 million 984.623 thousand tons, while foreign currency earnings decreased by 57.8% – to $2 billion 912.974 million. The iron ore exports were mainly to Slovakia (19.23% of shipments in monetary terms), Czech Republic (17.32%) and Poland (16.49%).
In 2022, Ukraine imported iron ore products worth $65 thousand in the total volume of 101 tons, while in 2021 – $184 thousand in the volume of 1,202 tons. Imports were made from Norway (36.92%), the Netherlands (27.69%) and the UK (16.92%).
In January-March this year, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products by 47.4% in value terms compared to the same period last year, to $42.018 million.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, exports of copper and copper products decreased by 16.9% to $18.138 million over the period.
In March, the country imported copper worth $12.893 million and exported it worth $7.242 million.
In addition, in January-March 2024, Ukraine increased imports of nickel and nickel products by 2.4 times compared to the same period in 2023, to $7.697 million (in March – $2.267 million), aluminum and aluminum products by 20%, to $98.535 million (in March – $38.102 million). At the same time, the country increased imports of lead and lead products by 30.1% to $281 thousand (in March – $140 thousand), imports of tin and tin products decreased by 4.3% to $620 thousand (in March – $113 thousand), and increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 55.6% to $11,860 (in March – $5,454 million).
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in the first three months of 2024 increased by 1.2% compared to the same period a year earlier to $23.387 million (in March – $7.769 million), lead and lead products decreased by 36.1% to $2.834 million (in March – $1.076 million), nickel and nickel products amounted to $94 thousand (in March – $45 thousand), while in January-March 2023 it was $92 thousand.
Zinc exports for the first three months of this year amounted to $44 thousand (in March – $24 thousand), while in January-March 2023 it amounted to $46 thousand. Exports of tin and products amounted to $81 thousand (in March – $47 thousand) against $48 thousand in the same period a year earlier.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of copper and copper products by 2.2 times compared to 2022 – up to $140.795 million, while exports decreased by 20.1% to $72.078 million.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and products by 74.2% compared to 2022, to $15.391 million, and increased imports of aluminum and aluminum products by 7.7%, to $366.463 million.
At the same time, it reduced imports of lead and lead products by 65.2% to $989 thousand, imports of tin and tin products by 23% to $2.728 million, but increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 18.8% to $45.966 million.
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products last year increased by 0.7% compared to 2022 to $97.616 million, lead and lead products increased by 23.5% to $14.778 million, and nickel and nickel products amounted to $532 thousand, while in 2022 it was $1.268 million.
In 2023, the company exported $130 thousand worth of zinc, compared to $1.331 million in 2022. Exports of tin and tin products amounted to $159 thousand against $424 thousand in 2022.
In 2022, Ukrainian enterprises reduced imports of copper and copper products in value terms by 64.3% compared to the previous year to $65.370 million, while their exports decreased by 56.3% to $90.245 million.
In addition, in 2022, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and nickel products by 49.9% compared to 2021, to $59.754 million, and aluminum and aluminum products by 33.4%, to $340.398 million. At the same time, it reduced imports of lead and lead products by 66.6%, to $2.839 million.
Imports of tin and tin products fell by 33.5% to $3.312 million, and imports of zinc and zinc products decreased by 58.7% to $38.690 million.
In 2022, exports of aluminum and aluminum products decreased by 42.7% compared to 2021, to $96.972 million, lead and lead products – by 68.7%, to $11.970 million, and nickel and nickel products – by 73.9%, to $1.268 million.
Zinc exports in 2022 amounted to $1.331 million, while in 2021 they amounted to $550 thousand. Exports of tin and products in 2022 amounted to $424 thousand, compared to $346 thousand in the previous year.
