The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods in February 2021 fell by 47.5%, to $0.32 billion, while the deficit of foreign trade in January-February 2021 slightly grew – by 5.9%, to $0.6 billion
According to the State Customs Service, imports in the first two months of this year showed an increase over the same period last year by 4.5% and amounted to $9.09 billion, and exports – by 4.4%, to $8.49 billion.
At the same time, in February, imports rose to $4.87 billion, which is 6.5% higher than the same period last year and 15.4% higher than in January.
As for exports, last month it also showed an increase of 14.8% compared to February 2020 and 15.8% compared to January, reaching $4.55 billion.
In general, the trade turnover in January-February this year totaled $17.57 billion, which is 4.44% higher compared to the same period last year.
As Deputy Minister of Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture, Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka said, in February Ukraine increased the export of confectionery products by $50 million, or 15% compared to February 2020.
“The largest export markets [for confectionery products] were Romania, Poland, Belarus and Azerbaijan,” he wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Kachka also pointed to an increase in the export of industrial goods to $398 million in February, which is 9.6% more than the same period last year and 21.6% more than in January. The trade representative said that $294 million of export of these goods falls on the EU (Hungary, Germany, Poland).
“Metallurgy began to feel better. Exports of ferrous metals (group 72) in February amounted to $764 million (a rise of 12%),” the trade representative said.
Exports of metal products last month showed an increase of 22% versus February 2020, to $77.2 million. The largest supply markets for them were Poland, Romania, Germany, the trade representative said.
He also noted an increase in the export of sunflower oil in February by 12% versus February last year and by 14% versus January, to $587 million. “India and the Netherlands are increasing supplies, China is cutting back a little,” he said.
“Meal (group 2) grew by 25.7% and amounted to $169 million. France and China began to buy more,” Kachka wrote.
As indicated by the State Customs Service, the largest trading partners in February were China (negative balance of $1.8 billion), Russia ($1.1 billion), Germany ($1.3 billion).
At the same time, the trade representative said that exports to the EU in February increased compared to last year by almost 28%, to $1.97 billion, and to Asia – by 17.4%, reaching $1.48 billion. At the same time, exports to the CIS countries decreased in February 12.3% compared to February 2020, to $461 million.
“We should note the revival with Britain – in the first two months of this year we exported products worth $145.2 million, which is 35% more compared to January-February 2020,” Kachka wrote.
According to customs statistics, in February this year, trade between Ukraine and the U.K. amounted to $503 million: exports were $209.5 million, and imports were $294 million.
The duty-free tariff quota for the import of eggs from Ukraine to the U.K. in April-June 2021 will be half of the amount determined by last year’s agreement (204.5 tonnes) due to lack of applications for imports of these products in January-March, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
The ministry said that the Rural Payments Agency in the U.K. has announced the start of accepting applications for the import of Ukrainian poultry eggs for the second quarter of 2021.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its website quoted the rules for distribution of this quota for poultry eggs and albumin from Ukraine in accordance with the provisions of the Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in October 2020.
According to the document, the administration of quotas for these products is managed by a system of import licenses, and the volume of the quota is distributed quarterly in parts – 25% of its total volume. The import license will be valid for the nine months (until December 31, 2021), and can be obtained by any British company that imported at least 25 tonnes of similar products in the period from September 17, 2019 to September 16, 2020 or September 17, 2018 through September 16, 2019.
The insurance premium for the import license is set at GBP 17 per 100 kg of product.
Main trade partners of Ukraine in % from total volume (import from other countries to Ukraine) in Jan-Nov.
SSC of Ukraine
The Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade (ICIT) has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the import of wood chipboard originating from the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation to Ukraine.
The decision of the commission made on February 16, 2021 on the initiation of an investigation comes into force from the moment of its publication, indicated in the report published in the Uriadovy Kurier newspaper dated February 20.
According to the report, the commission received a corresponding complaint from Svisspan Limited LLC (Kostopil, Rivne region)
According to the applicant, during the study period (H2 2017 – H1 2020), the share of dumped chipboard imports from Belarus and the Russian Federation exceeded half of the total imports, while the share of consumption ranged from 6.8% to 12.29% , in relation to production – from 5.03% to 11.72%. At the same time, the prices of dumped imports were significantly lower than the applicant’s price level for the entire study period and below the cost price level in H2 2019 – H1 2020.
Analysis of the dynamics of the main indicators of the applicant’s financial and economic activities during the study period showed a decrease in sales volumes, a loss of market share with an increase in consumption in the domestic market, a decrease in production volumes and deterioration in other financial indicators.
Having considered the complaint, the ICIT came to the conclusion that the import of chipboard from Belarus and the Russian Federation to Ukraine could be carried out at dumping prices and the level of the dumping margin cannot be considered minimal, and the volume of imports cannot be considered insignificant. The commission also said that the chipboard originating from these countries into Ukraine was imported in such volumes and on such conditions that it may harm the national manufacturer.
The investigation concerns wood chipboard, with the exception of chipboard panels covered with decorative laminated plastic, which are classified according to the Ukrainian Foreign Economic Activity Commodity Nomenclature as 4410 10 11 10 00, 4410 11 30 00 and 4410 11 90 00.
The Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture has been charged with carrying out the anti-dumping investigation. Interested parties are registered within 30 days.
Swisspan Limited is one of the leaders in the production of furniture boards in Ukraine, specializing in the production of sanded and laminated chipboards of its own trademark Swisspan by Sorbes. The company was founded in 2003 by the Swiss group Sorbes AG and, in addition to Swisspan Limited, owns LK Interplyt Nadvirna in Ivano-Frankivsk region, as well as the Repo Vabrikud plant in Estonia.
Foreign trade turnover by the most important positions in Jan-Nov 2020 (import).
Structure of import of services for 9 months of 2020 (graphically).
