The German federal government has confirmed the increase in imports of Ukrainian grain in recent years and at the same time denied the negative impact on its market, the Bavarian trade publication Wochenblatt reported.
“Grain imports have been growing since 2022, when the Russian war against Ukraine began. Imports of feed and food grains from Ukraine to Germany reached its peak in recent years – about 741 thousand tons. In the first six months of 2024, the volumes approached 490 thousand tons,” the publication writes.
The largest share in imports is corn. In January-June 2024, Germany imported about 447 thsd tonnes of corn, while in 2023 it was 619 thsd tonnes. At the same time, in 2023, wheat imports reached almost 106 thousand tons, but from the beginning of 2024 to July 2024, only about 16.5 thousand tons were registered. Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, wheat imports ranged from 6,000 to 2,000 tons.
The federal government also emphasized that it has no information about any deviations from the requirements and standards during inspections of Ukrainian grain by the official German Food and Feed Inspectorate. According to the Federal Government, food and feed imported into the EU from third countries, such as Ukraine, must comply with the requirements of the food and feed legislation in force in the EU.
This information is contained in the federal government’s response to questions from the parliamentary group Alternative for Germany.
Ukraine and the EU have agreed to increase the capacity of electricity imports during the winter months to 2.1 GW, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said Tuesday.
“Starting December 1, the maximum capacity of imports of e/e from EU countries will be increased from the current 1.7 GW to 2.1 GW. This will increase the resilience of the Ukrainian energy system in the face of criminal Russian shelling and infrastructure destruction. I am grateful to European partners, in particular to European Commissioner Kadri Simson for their consistent position and effective steps to support our energy system on the eve of winter,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko was quoted by the press service as saying.
Ukraine will also additionally have an opportunity for guaranteed 250 MW of overflow capacity from the EU in emergency assistance mode.
As the Energy Ministry recalled, the need to make an important decision for Ukraine on increasing the import capacity was discussed at a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in September in Kiev.
NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine plans to import 2-3 bcm of gas, according to the published memorandum on economic and financial policy for the 5th review of the EFF program with the IMF.
“For the upcoming heating season 2024/25. Ukraine plans to import additional gas for domestic consumption in the amount of up to 2-3 billion cubic meters, while additional gas may be stored by non-residents for the needs of the EU countries in accordance with the baseline scenario,” the document says.
At the same time, it is noted that restrained domestic consumption and growing domestic production limited the need for gas imports in the last heating season.
Regarding import plans for this year’s heating season, it is noted that Naftogaz has secured additional financing for gas imports from the EBRD and bilateral donors.
If Naftogaz faces a liquidity shortage, the government is ready to assess the amount of compensation for the company’s special obligations in 2025 based on its actual documented costs, verified by the State Audit Service and other stakeholders. The relevant calculations will be finalized by the end of August 2025.
“The potential pressure on costs related to gas imports and PSO compensation will be taken into account by adjusting the fiscal balance targets to take into account the above assessment, the results of the audit of the debt of district heating companies (DHCs), available funding, and limited to UAH 60 billion (about 0.8% of GDP),” the document says.
It also notes that the energy sector reform agenda, “as soon as conditions allow,” includes additional gradual increases in gas and electricity tariffs with parallel support for vulnerable consumers, and after the war ends, it will require restoring and strengthening competition in the wholesale and retail gas markets.
It is noted that the government will adopt a roadmap for the gradual liberalization of gas and electricity markets with an implementation plan indicating the timeline for the period after martial law.
As reported, Naftogaz Group CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov said in early October in a commentary to Energoreforma that as of November 1, the company’s purchases of gas in the customs warehouse (CW) mode, which is carried out as a reserve at the expense of the EBRD loan, will be “within 500-600 million cubic meters.”
At the end of 2022, Naftogaz attracted an EBRD loan for EUR 300 million under state guarantees, which created a reserve stock of natural gas in the amount of 748 million cubic meters in the customs warehouse (CU) mode.
A new agreement on the EBRD loan to Naftogaz for EUR 200 million under state guarantees was signed in November 2023. At the time, it was emphasized that it would come into force after the state guarantees were issued. Norway and the Netherlands shared the credit risk with the bank.
The CU regime allows natural gas to be stored in Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities for three years without paying taxes and customs duties during its further transportation from the country.
In January-September 2024, Ukraine imported 526.545 thousand tons of salt worth $69.844 million, which is 65.6% and 6.64% more than in the same period last year, respectively.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), Egypt became the largest supplier of salt to Ukraine, accounting for 55.41% of total imports worth $38.7 million in January-September 2024.
Turkey and Romania accounted for 15.7% and 15.6% of supplies, for which these countries earned $10.96 million and $10.81 million, respectively.
A year earlier, Ukraine’s top three salt importers were Turkey with a 30.9% share, Egypt and Romania with 21.6% and 20.9%, respectively. Their revenues from salt sales amounted to $20.3 million, $14.11 million and $13.697 million, respectively.
In January-September 2024, Ukraine reduced its salt exports to a record low of 21 tons, for which it earned $21 thousand. Its buyers were Romania, which purchased 17 tons (80.9%), Moldova and Spain purchased a ton each, which was 4.8% for each country.
A year earlier, salt exports amounted to 38 tons, for which Ukraine earned $155 thousand. Exports of this product were supported by Romania, which bought 35 tons (94.6%), and Moldova – a ton (2.7%).
As reported, in pre-war 2021, Ukraine exported 710.04 thousand tons of salt for $28.32 million, while in 2022 it fell fivefold in physical terms to 142.038 thousand tons, and revenue fell even more, to $3.82 million. In 2021, the main buyers of Ukrainian salt were Poland (39.1%), Hungary (27.4%), and Romania (7.3%). In 2021, Ukraine imported 142.81 thousand tons of salt worth $12.92 million.
After the occupation of the country’s largest salt producer, Artemsol, by Russian troops, Ukrainian salt exports amounted to only 149 tons for $32 thousand in the first half of 2023.
In January-September this year, Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of tin and tin products by 1.7% to $2.086 million ($244 thousand in September). Exports of tin and tin products amounted to $346 thousand (in September – $2 thousand) against $57 thousand in the same period a year earlier.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine reduced imports of tin and tin products by 23% to $2.728 million. Exports of tin and tin products in 2023 amounted to $159 thousand, compared to $424 thousand in 2022.
Tin is used mainly as a safe, non-toxic, corrosion-resistant coating in its pure form or in alloys with other metals. The main industrial applications of tin are in white tinplate (tinned iron) for food containers, in solders for electronics, in house pipelines, in bearing alloys, and in coatings made of tin and its alloys. The most important tin alloy is bronze (with copper).
Ukrainian companies increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 28.1% to $43.550 million in January-September this year ($5.308 million in September).
Zinc exports for the first nine months of this year amounted to $277 thousand (in September – $77 thousand), while in January-September 2023 it was $88 thousand.
In 2023, Ukraine increased imports of zinc and zinc products by 18.8% to $45.966 million. In 2023, the company exported $130 thousand worth of zinc compared to $1.331 million in 2022.
Pure zinc metal is used to restore precious metals, protect steel from corrosion and for other purposes.
