In January-August this year, Ukrainian companies increased imports of copper and copper products by 85.1% year-on-year to $77.287 million.
According to customs statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, exports of copper and copper products decreased by 21.7% to $50.197 million over the period.
In August, copper was imported for $9.975 million and exported for $6.273 million.
In addition, in the first eight months of 2023, Ukraine reduced imports of nickel and products by 75.3% compared to the same period in 2022 to $11.038 million ($2.599 million in August), while imports of aluminum and aluminum products increased by 17.8% to $243.990 million ($38.614 million).
At the same time, it reduced imports of lead and lead products by 67.9% to $722 thousand ($9 thousand), imports of tin and tin products by 33.8% to $1.633 million ($208 thousand), but increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 10.1% to $28.775 million ($3.934 million).
Exports of aluminum and aluminum products in January-August this year decreased by 4.8% compared to the same period last year to $63.289 million ($8.201 million in August), lead and lead products increased by 13.6% to $9.866 million ($0.876 million), nickel and nickel products amounted to $201 thousand ($76 thousand), while in 8 months. 2022 it was $1.339 million.
Zinc was exported abroad for eight months by $88 thousand (in August – $2 thousand) against $1.302 million in January-August 2022. Exports of tin and products amounted to $53 thousand (in August – $1 thousand) against $396 thousand in 8 months of 2022.
As reported, 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.
In 2022/2023 marketing year, Ukraine increased the production and export of sunflower oil by 25.4% compared to 2021/2022 MY, the press service of the association Ukroliyaprom reports.
“One of the main peculiarities of 2022/23 MY was the significant increase of sunflower seed processing at the domestic facilities starting from 2023, after the ban of its import by some EU countries. This allowed to significantly increase the processing of sunflower seeds within the country and, accordingly, the production of oil and its export by 25.4%, sunflower meal – by 27.3% compared to 2021/22 MY,” the company said in the report.
According to the report, the export of sunflower seeds decreased by 58% in the first eight months of 2023 compared to the same period of 2022. This made it possible to significantly increase its processing at domestic facilities and, accordingly, the production and export of high value-added products.
In 2022/23 MY, the production and export of soybean oil increased by 18%, and soybean meal – by 19.4%.
These figures could have been higher if soybean processing in the country had increased, especially given that exports of soybean products are mainly carried out by road and rail, the association noted.
In addition, in 2023, Ukraine increased the processing of rapeseed, as evidenced by the increase in exports of rapeseed oil in July-August this year by more than 20 times compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
“Ukroliyaprom forecasts that in 2023/2024 MY Ukraine’s production of main types of oilseeds will increase by 18.8%. This will be due to the expansion of production areas by 12.1% and an average yield increase of 5.7%, which was facilitated by favorable weather conditions. The largest increase in production is expected for sunflower seeds – by 15%.
As reported, Ukroliyaprom expects that in the season 2023/2024, Ukraine can produce up to 5 million tons of sunflower oil, while exports can reach 4.7 million tons.
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-August this year reduced revenues from ferrous metal exports by 51.1% compared to the same period last year – to $1 bln 821.054 mln.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), ferrous metals accounted for 7.44% of total export revenues during this period, while in 8M-2022 – 12.86%.
In August, revenues from ferrous metals exports amounted to $200.016 million, while in the previous month – $206.685 million.
At the same time, Ukraine has increased imports of similar products by 53% – up to $855.284 million in eight months of this year. In August, $136.466 million worth of products were imported.
In addition, in January-August Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 11% compared to the eight months of the previous year – to $625.707 million. In August they were exported for $65.114 million.
At the same time, imports of metal products for the first eight months of the year increased by 24.8% to $515.548 million. In August, Ukraine received $82.645 million worth of these products.
As reported, metal enterprises of Ukraine in 2022 decreased revenues from exports of ferrous metals by 67.5% compared to 2021, to $4 billion 533.088 million. Ferrous metals for this period accounted for 10.26% of total revenues from exports of goods against 20.49% for 2021. At the same time, Ukraine last year 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 for the year fell by 42.9% to $643.162 million.
Ukraine has begun exporting grain through Croatian seaports, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko said during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Bucharest.
“Ukrainian grain has already been exported through Croatian ports. Thank you for this opportunity. This trade route, although niche, is already popular. We are ready to develop it by expanding the capabilities of the transportation corridor. We believe that this logistics route will play an important role in bilateral trade between our countries even after the war,” the press service of the Ministry of Economy and Trade quoted her as saying.
According to the report, the parties discussed bilateral trade and exports of Ukrainian grain through Croatian ports. They also discussed the importance of jointly resolving the issue of export restrictions for Ukrainian exports. The meeting also touched upon the issues of demining, war crimes investigation, and opening new trade routes for Ukrainian grain exports.
The parties raised the issue of accelerating the localization of demining equipment production to start its production at the facilities of domestic enterprises.
“One of the most important tasks for Ukraine in the near future is to demine the territories and return potentially contaminated land to use. Both post-war recovery and further development of the national economy depend on the speed of this process. That is why we are grateful to all partners who help Ukraine resolve this issue,” Svyrydenko emphasized.
Plenkovic offered to assist Ukraine in investigating war crimes. This includes sharing Croatia’s experience and expertise in establishing special prosecutors and special police to investigate crimes committed during the war.
As reported, the main routes for exporting Ukrainian agricultural products after the shelling of port infrastructure on the Black Sea remain land transport and seaports on the Danube.
In May 2023, the European Commission banned imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania at the insistence of these countries. On June 5, the European Commission extended the ban until September 15, 2023.
Ukrainian barley in the season-2023 will be 60% exported by road and rail through border crossing points with Romania, the analytical cooperative “Pusk”, established within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Rada (UAR), reported.
According to the report, such a decision is explained by the rising cost of freight, as well as the threat of Russian attacks on the infrastructure of the Danube ports.
“Farmers are trying to export barley on their own for the most part. (…) Traders are not too interested in barley trade yet. Rising freight costs create powerful constraints. There is a demand for Ukrainian barley, but the grain is too expensive: for liquidity in river ports the price tag should be 110-$120/ton on terms of CPT, but farmers will not supply at such a low price”, – analysts explained.
According to their information, market participants are afraid of repeated Russian attacks on the infrastructure of the Danube ports. Besides, it is more profitable for agrarians to take barley to the borders than to Reni, particularly to Chop, where the price is $140/ton. Even farmers from the central regions have started to be interested in auto-delivery of barley to Romania – logistics is cheaper, experts added.
They also noted the activity of barley processors on the barley market. Their purchase prices are now 4500-5200 UAH/ton.
“In the first week of September, the conditional prices for barley can grow to $195-202/ton on the basis of DAP Constanta, to $142-147/ton – on the basis of SRT river ports”, – predicted in VAR.
Despite a 20% reduction in crop production areas due to the occupation of a number of regions, favorable weather conditions will allow farmers to harvest and export wheat in the 2023/24 marketing year (MY) no less than last season, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solsky said on the air of the United News marathon.
“The carry-over stocks of crops in 2023 are about five times less than in the 2022 season, when there were 27 million tons of agricultural products in the country as of mid-summer. On average, agriculture has been bringing in about USD2 billion a month to the state budget since the grain corridor started working properly,” he said.
Assessing the prospects for the 2023 harvest, the Minister noted that this season, 20% less production area has been allocated for crops than in pre-war 2021, due to the areas in Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and the south of the country that are currently under occupation. He also clarified that during the fall 2022 sowing campaign, winter crops were sown 25% less than in 2021.
“Thanks to the weather, we got a significantly higher yield on these areas. It was not a harsh winter, there were no sharp temperature drops, and there was enough humidity, which led to the increase in yield. It was difficult for farmers to save on seeds, herbicides, and fertilizers. But one factor compensated for the other,” explained Solsky.
Speaking about this season’s spring crop harvest, the Minister emphasized that a combination of natural and climatic factors, including a wet summer and average temperatures, affected the quality of grain, which will be worse than last season.
“We have less milling wheat and more feed wheat. But this is a standard situation for Ukraine, when the season depends primarily on weather conditions,” said the head of the agriculture ministry.
According to him, the tonnage of wheat for export to Ukraine in 2023/24 MY will be not less than last season.
Assessing the readiness of the agricultural business for the autumn-winter period, Solsky reminded that since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has been receiving many donor programs, some of which were implemented through the Ministry of Agrarian Policy. Therefore, the supply of generators, in particular, is many times higher than at the beginning of winter last year.
According to the Minister, gas will be the main challenge for business in the autumn and winter period. A positive factor was its low cost in 2022/23 MY, which was several times lower than before the war. However, in the last few weeks, the price has risen, which will affect the operation of elevators, Solsky explained. However, this factor, in his opinion, will also depend on the weather and the skill of entrepreneurs.
“When we talk about grains, the demand for gas (for the agricultural sector) will depend on the conditions under which corn will be harvested. It will be a wet autumn or not,” the minister said, adding that many farmers are now actively advancing and buying gas.
He stated that there are no gas subsidies for business, as the priority is to provide gas to the population. However, the situation will become clearer in late October and early November, and the agricultural market is preparing for it.
