The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in April raised its forecast for corn exports from Ukraine for the 2018/2019 marketing year (MY, July-June) by 500,000 tonnes compared with the March forecast, to 29.5 million tonnes.
According to the report on the USDA’s website, the increase in the export forecast is associated with a large harvest. The forecast of corn harvest in Ukraine was increased by 305,000 tonnes, to 35.8 million tonnes.
In addition, the USDA retained the forecast of wheat exports from Ukraine in the 2018/2019 MY at the level of 16.5 million tonnes, raised the crop forecast by 57,000 tonnes, to 25.057 million tonnes. The forecast for barley production was also slightly increased (by 204,000 tonnes, to 7.6 million tonnes), while the export forecast did not change (4.2 million tonnes).
In general, the U.S. agency raised its grain yield forecast in Ukraine to 69.7 million tonnes, exports to 50.4 million tonnes.
The USDA has not changed its forecasts for oilseeds processing (15.85 million tonnes) and oil exports (5.93 million tonnes), while the forecast for oil meal exports rose to 5.26 million tonnes (100,000 tonnes more) after a decline in the previous month.
Ukraine in January and February 2019 increased exports of electricity by 4.1% (by 42.7 million kWh) compared to the same period of 2018, to 1.075 billion kWh, the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry has told Interfax-Ukraine.
Electricity supplies from the Burshtyn TPP “energy island” to Hungary, Slovakia and Romania increased 3.4% (by 22.1 million kWh), to 670 million kWh.
Electricity supplies to Poland decreased 11.6% (by 33.4 million kWh), to 255 million kWh.
Electricity supplies to Moldova amounted to 150 million kWh, which is 56.2% (54 million kWh) more than in January and February 2018.
Ukrainian electricity was not exported to Belarus and Russia in January and February 2019 and 2018.
In addition, Ukraine in January and February of the current year imported 3.5 million kWh of electricity (3.4 million kWh from the Russian Federation, 1.2 million kWh from Belarus) compared with 6.3 million kWh in January and February 2018.
Ukraine in 2018 used 11 out of the 40 quotas for duty-free exports under the free trade area (FTA) agreement with the European Union, while export quotas for processed products from oil, sugar syrups, and an additional quota for exports of mushrooms were not used at all, according to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
Ukraine has not yet received permission to export red meat, therefore its companies also did not use the quota for pork, lamb, and beef. The remaining quotas were used partially, the ministry said.
In 2018, the country fully used quotas for exports of corn, honey, corn flour and granules, grape and apple juice, processed tomatoes, processed malt and starch, soft wheat, wheat flour and granules, barley grits and starch flour, and the major quota for exports of poultry and semi-finished products from it.
In 2018, the main quota for exports of mushrooms was used by 0.03%, the quota for exports of cigarettes by 0.01%, food products by 0.9%, processed products from dairy cream by 4.2%, ethanol by 10.4%, processed products from sugar by 13.9%, milk, yoghurt and cream by 15%, barley by 16.6%, dairy products by 22.1%, milk powder by 24.1%, and oats by 36.5%.
In addition, Ukraine has used the basic quota for exports of eggs by 74.6%, and an additional one by 48.3%.
Ukraine since the beginning of the 2018/2019 marketing year (MY, July-June) and as of March 20, 2019 had exported 35.605 million tonnes of grain and leguminous plants, which is 20.8% more than on the same date of the previous MY.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, farmers exported 18.74 million tonnes of corn, 12.95 million tonnes of wheat, and 3.3 million tonnes of barley.
On that date, some 192,200 tonnes of flour had been also exported.
As reported, with reference to the ministry, Ukraine exported 39.4 million tonnes of grain in the 2017/2018 MY.
Exports of goods from Ukraine in January 2019 from January 2018 grew by 9.2%, to $4.066 billion, while imports increased by a mere 0.7%, to $4.045 billion, the State Statistics Service has reported. According to its data, as a result, the surplus of foreign trade in goods in January of this year amounted to $20.9 million against the deficit of $294.1 million in January 2018.
The State Statistics Service said that in January 2019 compared to December 2018 the seasonally adjusted export volume rose by 6.9%, to $4.373 billion, while imports by 3.8%, to $4.839 billion.
The seasonally adjusted foreign trade balance in January 2019 was negative and amounted to $465.9 million, which is better than in December 2018 ($571.5 million).
The service said that foreign trade operations were conducted with partners from 193 countries of the world.
According to customs statistics, published by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, coke and semi-coke exports were down 60% in monetary terms, to $504,000.
The majority of deliveries were made to Romania (66.27% in monetary terms), Russia (16.47%) and Moldova (16.47%).
Imports of coke and semi-coke fell by 35.5%, to 168,673 tonnes in January and February 2019, worth $51.463 million (34.7% down). The goods were mainly imported from Russia (89.55% in monetary terms), Poland (8.42%) and the Czech Republic (2.03%).
As reported, Ukraine cut coke and semi-coke exports by 88.6% year-over-year to 25,578 tonnes in 2018. Imports of coke and semi-coke fell by 45.8%, to 839,757 tonnes in 2018, worth $251.724 million (44% down).
Due to hostilities in the eastern part of Ukraine some coalmines and coking plants were left in the Ukrainian government uncontrolled territories.
