Ukraine continues to be an import-dependent state in the market of fish and fish products with a negative trade balance, while the Russian full-scale invasion has only worsened the situation in the industry.
The relevant conclusions were announced by members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy during off-site committee hearings in Izmail (Odesa region) on Thursday, according to the website of the parliamentary committee.
According to it, due to the aggression of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian producers in the Azov-Black Sea basin actually did not work in 2022 due to violations of logistics, the destruction of warehouses of frozen products by enemy shelling, the debt of retail chains for the supply of fish products and the absence of fish in the list of critical imports.
The committee also emphasizes that, in addition to military factors, the fishing industry in Ukraine suffers from systemic problems that have accumulated over the years. These are the lack of effective management for many years, in particular the lack of a strategy and program for the development of fisheries; outdated regulatory framework in the industry; the difficulty of obtaining the right to conduct aquaculture and commercial fishing, unequal access to a common limited resource and the existence of shadow fisheries.
Based on the results of the hearings, draft recommendations have been prepared, which will be considered at the committee meeting.
The Club of Experts YouTube channel has released a new video dedicated to the prospects for the development of the volunteer movement in Ukraine after the start of the war and solving the main problems that our citizens may face when bringing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
According to Maxim Urakin, the founder of the Club of Experts, the humanitarian situation that arose in Ukraine after the outbreak of hostilities forced tens of thousands of people to volunteer.
“At the same time, many people faced with the incomprehensibility of the processes of crossing the border and importing certain goods into the country,” the expert emphasized.
In his commentary, the head of the International Technology Transfer Association (ITTA), Artem Goncharenko, noted that when organizing volunteer assistance, one should understand what needs the recipients of volunteer assistance have. At the same time, in his opinion, individual and general requests of both military and ordinary citizens should be distributed.
“It is important to understand that we cannot offer a single universal solution. Need a personal approach (…). At the same time, different volunteer organizations should unite to improve the coordination of work,” he said.
In turn, Evgenia Litvinova, Chair of the Ukrainian Exporters’ Club, analyzed the latest legislative changes that have greatly simplified the delivery of international humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
In their presentation, the experts provided a detailed explanation on the following problematic issues:
– Who has the right to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine?
– On the basis of what documents can humanitarian aid be imported?
– What changes have been introduced when filling out customs declarations?
– What shipping documents do you need to have when crossing the border?
For more details, see the video on the YouTube channel “Expert Club” at the link:
EXPERT CLUB, GONCHARENKO, HUMANITARIAN AID, IMPORT, LITVINOVA, URAKIN
Prices for goods imported into Germany jumped 31.7% in April, a record pace since the 1974 oil crisis, according to the country’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
In particular, the cost of energy imports soared 2.5 times (157.4%) in annual terms, including natural gas increased in price four times, oil – almost 1.8 times (77.5%). Excluding energy carriers, import prices increased by 27.6%.
Among other categories of goods, the most impressive growth was recorded by prices for fertilizers and nitrogen (by 2.9 times), aluminum (by 1.8 times), iron, steel and ferroalloys (by 1.6 times). Imported plastic rose in price by 27.7%, machinery – by 7.9%, cars and auto parts – by 5.7%.
The cost of foreign purchases of food products increased by 20.7%, including coffee – by 68.6%, cereals – by 55.8%.
Compared to March, prices for imported goods increased by 1.8%.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed law No. 2246-IX (previously bill No. 7264 on uninterrupted production and supply of agricultural products during martial law), adopted by the Verkhovna Rada as a whole on May 12.
The relevant information was published on the parliamentary website on Wednesday.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada simplified the export, import and transit of agricultural products to Ukraine during martial law, which will expand farmers’ access to fertilizers and genetic material of farm animals, as well as support the Ukrainian organic industry.
“The task of the state is to simplify farming under martial law as much as possible and reduce the bureaucratic burden on business and government bodies. This applies, in particular, to the state registration of pesticides and agrochemicals, which is extremely important during the spring sowing campaign in 2022. Also it is important to support niche sectors of agriculture and organic production,” the explanatory note to the document states.
Law No. 2246-IX abolishes until the end of martial law and for 90 days after its cancellation the state registration of agrochemicals imported into Ukraine, including some types of nitrogen fertilizers, ammonium nitrates, ammonia in aqueous solution, thiosulfates, potassium, calcium and aluminum phosphates, borates, chelate zinc and a number of other mineral fertilizers.
In addition to the simplified import of such types of fertilizers, the bill cancels the state registration procedure for their production, sale, use and advertising.
The law also allows producers of organic products to use the label “organic”, “biodynamic”, “biological”, “ecological”, “organic” until July 1, 2024, even if they are not operators of organic products in accordance with law 2496-VIII on turnover organic products.
This initiative allows Ukrainian producers of organic products that were producing according to EU standards, but did not meet the status of an operator of organic products according to Ukrainian standards, to switch to Ukrainian production standards without an additional transition period. It also allows them to qualify for government support.
The document expands the list of entities that can take samples and conduct phytosanitary examination, in particular, introduces until the end of martial law and by 90 after its cancellation a simplified procedure for involving employees of private laboratories in the examination, and also authorizes agronomists-inspectors to conduct such inspections to conduct an audit on certification.
In addition, Law No. 2246-IX allows the import to Ukraine of cargoes with live animals in transit through countries where there are cases of disease from the list of the International Epizootic Bureau (OIE). This will allow the Ukrainian livestock industry to access modern breeding genetic material from the EU countries and expand the diversity of breeding material of agricultural animals in Ukraine.
ANIMALS, FERTILIZERS, IMPORT, LAW, PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATES
In January-April this year, Ukraine reduced the import of aluminum ores and concentrate (bauxite) in quantity terms by 47.5% compared to the same period last year, to 932,928 tonnes.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, during this period, bauxite imports in monetary terms decreased by 42.3%, to $46.830 million.
At the same time, imports were carried out mainly from Guinea (60.58% of supplies in monetary terms), Brazil (27.96%) and Ghana (7.64%).
Ukraine did not re-export bauxite in January-April 2022.
Ukraine, with the help of Western partners, has managed to significantly increase fuel imports from EU countries, as a result, in May the country will receive 350,000 tonnes of fuel via completely new logistics routes, the Ministry of Economy has said on its website.
“In March-April 2022, measures were introduced that made it possible to increase the daily volume of fuel imports from the EU from 4,000 tonnes to 12,000 tonnes per day,” the ministry said.
Among the measures taken that ensured such growth, the Ministry of Economy named the abolition of entry permits for tankers to deliver fuel to Ukraine, ensuring the ability to receive fuel in the ports of the Danube, adjusting the mechanism for price regulation of the cost of fuel and extraordinary clearance of fuel at the borders by customs and border guards.
“Thanks to this, five times more fuel was delivered to Ukraine by railroad. In March, 35,000 tonnes were delivered, in May we expect 180,000 tonnes. Imports by road increased 15 times – from 5,000 tonnes to 85,000 tonnes. Transportation by river now brings five times more fuel compared to March – from 4,000 to 22,000 tonnes,” First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Minister of Economy, is quoted in the report.
According to the Ministry of Economy, there is also an agreement to start reversing fuel by pipe transport from Hungary: Ukraine received confirmation to import 35,000 tonnes per month, with a potential increase to 50,000 tonnes.
In addition, customs launched a separate green lane for fuel trucks from Poland, which will potentially increase the pass from 110 to 200 trucks per day.
“Today, the entire volume of imports can be directed to domestic consumption. Building up stocks requires more time. For queues and shortages to disappear, fuel supplies at filling stations are required for at least 15 days,” the ministry said.
Among the tasks for the near future, it named obtaining the consent of the EU countries for guaranteed acceptance of tankers with fuel for the Ukrainian market by their ports; the withdrawal of Russian and Belarusian fuel brought before the Russian invasion and now seized, the loading of the pipeline from Hungary with diesel, and the implementation of systemic purchases by NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy.
“According to the updated forecast, consumption of 300,000 tonnes of diesel and 120,000 tonnes of gasoline is expected in May. Such a volume of imports has already been contracted by Ukrainian chains,” the ministry said.
At the same time, Svyrydenko said that attempts to sell fuel at prices above the maximum allowable – UAH 60, UAH 65 and even UAH 70 per liter – will be regarded “as looting.” “The government has given powers to regional military administrations to exercise control over price fixing. We will react harshly to such facts in accordance with wartime requirements,” the first deputy prime minister said.
