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UKRAINE INCREASES EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS BY 30% IN JUNE – OPINION

In June this year, Ukraine managed to export 2.7 million tonnes of agricultural products, bypassing its seaports – the key export infrastructure of the country, now blocked by Russian troops.
Export growth in June amounted to 30% compared to May, according to the website of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB) on Friday.
In terms of crops in June, grain exports amounted to 1.4 million tonnes (corn – 86%, wheat – 10%, and barley – 3%), having increased by 23% compared to May.
Ukraine exported in June 642,500 tonnes of oilseeds (sunflower seeds – 84%, soybeans – 14%, and rapeseed – 2%), which is 52% more than in the previous month. At the same time, vegetable oil was exported by 45% more – 298,500 tonnes, of which 94% is sunflower and 6% soybean.
Export of sunflower and soybean cake and meal in June amounted to 139,100 tonnes (sunflower – 81%, and soybean – 19%), which corresponds to an increase of 20% compared to May.
“The highest growth rates are demonstrated by oilseeds, namely sunflower seeds. For the Ukrainian market, sunflower seeds have never been an export-oriented crop. Almost the entire volume was processed in Ukraine, after which sunflower oil was exported. The situation has now changed, and it is the export of seeds that has begun to grow,” the association clarified in the message.
According to the UCAB, now the main buyers of Ukrainian agricultural products are the countries closest to Ukraine – Romania, Poland, Bulgaria and Turkey, while before the Russian invasion, the main trading partners of the country were China, India, the Netherlands and Egypt.
“The export of agricultural products needs priority in shipments by land in order to save such an important direction of Ukraine’s economy until the seaports are unblocked. Without establishing the export of all manufactured products, farmers will not have enough funds to harvest already sown crops, and even more so for the next sowing in 2023,” the association stated.
As reported, in May 2022 Ukraine exported 1.74 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds and agricultural products for export by all modes of transport, which is 1.8 times higher than in April.

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, EXPORT

UKRAINIAN EXPORTS IN JAN-JUNE DECREASES BY 23% AND AMOUNTES TO $22.8 BLN

Ukrainian exports in January-June 2022 decreased by 23.7% compared to the first half of 2021 and amounted to $22.8 billion, Deputy Economy Minister – Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka said.

“Over the first half of this year, exports from Ukraine decreased by 23.7% compared to the first half of 2021 and amounted to $22.8 billion. At the same time, export volumes in the second quarter amounted to $8.782 billion, which is 37.4% less than in first quarter of 2022,” Kachka wrote on Facebook.

Compared to the second quarter of last year, the reduction in exports in the second quarter of this year was even more than 45.8% (-$7.42 billion), he noted.

At the same time, in physical volumes, the decrease in quarterly exports was even more significant – 55.6%, that is, by 20.8 million tons. In the second quarter, we exported 16.6 million tons of cargo,” Taras Kachka said.

He added that the main reason for the fall in exports is the blocking of Ukraine’s seaports by Russia.

“The reduction in shipping by sea in the second quarter compared to the first amounted to 86.5% (minus 21.6 million tons). At the same time, it is important to note that the situation with exports has stabilized and even improved by months,” the trade representative emphasized.

Exports resumed growth in May and June after a sharp fall in March. At the same time, exports grew both in terms of value and volume, according to data from the Ministry of Economy. So, in June, Ukraine exported 5.8 million tons of cargo worth $3.177 billion.

“At the same time, one should pay attention to the fact that in June there was a significant decrease in the export of iron ore – 1.75 million tons against 2.27 million tons in May. At the same time, exports of sunflower seeds increased significantly to 537 thousand tons in June. At the same time, oil remains the most profitable export item – $437 million,” Kachka said.

According to him, the top 10 export commodity positions of Ukraine in June included: oil, corn, sunflower seeds, ore, steel (semi-finished products), wires, poultry meat, pipes, cast iron, soybeans.

“Trade remains diversified. Exports of 223 items at the four-digit level exceeded $1 million during the month. Geographically, exports are fully focused on the EU. 78% of our exports in the second quarter of 2022 were to the EU. The total value of exports to the EU in the second quarter is $6 .86 billion, up 6.4% from the second quarter of last year,” the sales representative wrote.

However, he noted that trade with other countries of the world decreased in April-June compared to the second quarter of 2021 by 80%.

EXPORT, UKRAINE

UKRAINE CANCELED LICENSING OF EXPORTS OF WHEAT AND FERTILIZERS

Wheat and its mixture with rye (meslin) are excluded from the list of goods whose export is subject to licensing, the Cabinet of Ministers made the corresponding decision at a meeting on Friday, Taras Melnychuk, a government representative in parliament, said.

“The commodity items “Oats” and “Mineral or chemical, nitrogen fertilizers” have been excluded from the volume of quotas of goods whose export is subject to licensing. These items are included in the List of goods whose export is subject to licensing,” he added in his telegram message.

As reported, on March 7, the Government of Ukraine expanded the list of goods the Ministry of Economy will issue export permits for: wheat, corn, poultry meat, chicken eggs and sunflower oil were included in the list of licensed exports.

Already in March, corn and sunflower oil were excluded from this list, but wheat remained, despite the requests of market participants.

As for oats, on March 5, a ban was introduced on its export in the form of a zero quota.

Nitrogen fertilizers were also banned for export at first, but at the end of March the government allowed their export within the quarterly quota of 210,000 tons, or 70,000 tons per month.

In June this year, Ukraine managed to increase grain exports by 23% by May – up to 1.4 million tons. In terms of crops, corn accounted for 86%, wheat – 10%, barley – 3%.

EXPORT, LICENSING, UKRAINE, WHEAT

FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER BY THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITIONS IN JAN-APR 2022 (EXPORT)

Foreign trade turnover by the most important positions in Jan-Apr 2022 (export)

SSC of Ukraine

EXPORT, FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER

DEBUT AUCTION FOR ELECTRICITY EXPORT TO EUROPE PROVES UKRAINE’S ABILITY TO EARN BILLIONS OF HRYVNIAS – UKRENERGO

The average price of access to the interstate cross-section for the export of 100 MW of electricity to Romania as of June 30 at UAH 4,200/MWh became a record, and the auction itself for its redemption, held for the first time after the opening of exports by Europe, proves the ability of Ukraine to earn billions of hryvnias on this, Board Chairman of NPC Ukrenergo Volodymyr Kudrytsky said.
“This is the first auction for access to the interstate cross-section after the synchronization of the Ukrainian and European energy systems, and record UAH 4,200 per MWh of access. In just one day, the state-owned company Ukrenergo earned UAH 10 million,” Kudrytsky wrote on his Facebook on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
He suggested that if the export capacity was increased to 1,000 MW and auctions were held to buy access to interstate cross-sections at the same level, the state could earn up to UAH 100 million per day, or UAH 36 billion per year. Accordingly, 2,000 MW can bring the state about UAH 72 billion a year, the head of Ukrenergo said.
“This is the price of European rules and the transparency and competitiveness of the auction procedure, as opposed to the traditional desire to ‘steer,’ which can multiply UAH 72 billion by zero. And that is why Ukrenergo will always actively profess and defend these principles – a deviation from them will cost the state very dearly,” he stressed.
As reported, on June 30, the commercial export of the first 100 MW of electricity to Europe will start after the synchronization of the Ukrainian and European energy systems, agreed by ENTSO-E on June 27. At first, the resource will be supplied to Romania, then the directions to Slovakia and Hungary will be opened, but in general, the capacity for export is still 100 MW. In a month, Ukrenergo expects an increase in exports.

AUCTION, ELECTRICITY, EUROPE, EXPORT

CANCELLATION OF LICENSING OF WHEAT EXPORT FROM UKRAINE TO INCREASE PURCHASE PRICES FOR NEW CROP – GRAINTRADE

Licensing of wheat exports from Ukraine, introduced on March 6 amid Russian aggression, has created additional pressure on domestic wheat purchase prices, and the abolition of this state regulation will revive exports and stabilize prices for this exchange commodity.

This is how experts of the electronic grain exchange GrainTrade commented on the statement made recently by First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky about the abolition of licensing for wheat exports in July, according to the website of the grain trading platform on Monday.

“Amid blocked ports, the purchase prices for grain in Ukraine fell sharply, but the introduction of licenses for the export of wheat further increased pressure on prices, which dropped to UAH 5,500-6,500/tonne with delivery to the mill… In anticipation of the harvesting of the new crop, agricultural producers have to vacate warehouse space, therefore, they are activating wheat sales, which increase pressure on prices. Therefore, the cancellation of licenses will revive exports and stabilize wheat prices,” GrainTrade said in a statement.

According to it, licensing complicates the export of wheat bran for processing enterprises, which are forced to spend additional funds on their storage or disposal, which also pushes down the price of wheat in Ukraine.

As reported, last week, Deputy Minister Vysotsky, at a meeting with representatives of the European Business Association, said that Ukraine planned to cancel the licensing of wheat exports in July and recalled active cooperation with Baltic and Polish partners to create alternative routes for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy is also working to continue the abolition of quotas and duties for the entire period of Ukraine’s candidacy for the EU, as well as the harmonization of legislation with the European one.

EXPORT, GRAINTRADE, LICENSING, NEW CROP, WHEAT

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