Ukrainian enterprises increased imports of copper and copper products in terms of money by 22.1% in January-July 2019 compared with similar period of 2018, to $63.366 million.
Exports of copper and copper products decreased 48.3% over the year to $52.164 million, according to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.
In July, copper and copper products were imported to the tune of $10.336 million, and copper exports were estimated at $5.990 million.
In addition, through seven months of 2019 Ukraine decreased imports of nickel and products made of it by 10.1%, to $52.833 million (imports in July were estimated at $8.520 million), while imports of aluminum and products made of it increased 8.4%, to $228.420 million ($40.390million). Imports of lead and products made of it decreased by 1.7%, to $7.481 million ($1.143 million) and imports of tin and products made of it decreased 17.4%, to $2.038 million ($377,000). Imports of zinc and zinc goods decreased 18.7%, to $41.868 million ($9.384 million).
Exports of aluminum and products made of it decreased 27.4% in January-July 2019, to $60.540 million ($9.177 million in July alone), while shipments of lead abroad decreased 34.1%, to $14.914 million ($2.432 million). Exports of nickel fell by 39.8%, to $3.267 million ($0.274 million in July).
Zinc exports in January-July 2019 amounted to $385,000 ($28,000 in July) compared to $148,000 in January-July 2018.
Exports of tin and products made of it in January-July 2019 were estimated at $30,000 (some $1,000 in July) compared to $269,000 in January-July 2018.
Ukraine in January-July of this year increased imports of aluminum ore and concentrate (bauxites) in natural terms by 9.8% compared to the same period in 2018, to 3.42 million tonnes.
According to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service, during this period bauxite imports in monetary terms increased by 21.3%, to $133.376 million.
At the same time, imports were mainly from Guinea (58.31% of deliveries in monetary terms), Guyana (36.62%), and Brazil (2.19%).
In January-July 2019, some 22 tonnes of bauxite were exported to Poland for $1,000, whereas in January-July 2018 some 45 tonnes of bauxite were re-exported to Poland for $5,000.
Ukraine’s ore mining enterprises increased imports of iron ore and raw materials (IORM) in physical terms by 33.6% in January-July 2019 year-on-year, to 775,935 tonnes.
Import of IORM for the mentioned period in monetary terms grew by 26.4%, up to $143.995 million, according to a State Fiscal Service of Ukraine customs statistics report.
The bulk of iron ore was imported from Ghana (74.74% of total imports in monetary terms), Russia (20.74%), and Georgia (3.95%).
In January-July 2018, Ukraine exported 18,983 tonnes of IORM worth $1.693 million to Czech Republic (30.38%), Hungary (28.43%) and Slovak Republic (23.29%), while through seven months of 2018 the country exported 29,491 tonnes for $2.144 million.
Ukraine in January-July 2019 decreased imports of nickel ore and concentrate in natural terms by 15.5% compared to the same period in 2018, to 753,532 tonnes.
According to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service, in monetary terms nickel ore imports fell by 15.4%, to $36.866 million.
At the same time, imports were made from Guatemala (50.54% of deliveries in monetary terms), and Indonesia (49.46%).
Through the seven months of 2019, Ukraine exported 7,999 tonnes of nickel ore for $312,000 to Greece, while it did not export and re-export these products over the same period a year ago.
As reported, Ukraine in 2018 increased imports of nickel ore and concentrate in natural terms by 10% compared to the same period in 2017, to 1.445 million tonnes, in monetary terms imports rose by 8%, to $69.325 million. Imports were made from Guatemala (67.88% of deliveries in monetary terms), and Indonesia (32.12%).
Pobuzke Ferronickel Combine (part of Solway Group) imports nickel ore to Ukraine.
The plant processes about 1.2 million tonnes of ore a year.
The Cabinet of Ministers has abolished licensing for imports and exports of ethyl, cognac and fruit alcohol, ethyl rectified grape and fruit spirit, alcoholic drinks and tobacco products.
The decision was made at a government meeting on July 24 with the subsequent coordination with Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.
Ukraine in January-June 2019 imported 7,000 tonnes of cucumbers and 55,000 tonnes of tomatoes, which is respectively 38% and 15% more than in the same period of 2018, according to the website of the Ukrainian Horticultural Association. According to the association, the import of both cucumbers and tomatoes in the six months was a record high for the last decade.
The association noted that the export of greenhouse vegetables continues declining. Thus, the supply of tomatoes abroad since the beginning of the year amounted to a mere 970 tonnes, which is three times less than last season. The export of cucumbers also almost halved compared with 2018 and amounted to 1,300 tonnes.
“This trend in the cucumber and tomato markets is explained by the fact that Ukraine has been focused on the Russian market for a very long time, which after the worsening of the political situation between the countries became inaccessible to us. Moreover, domestic producers find it difficult to compete in the domestic market with Turkish products, because the cost of gas and electricity in Turkey is much lower than in Ukraine. Now, Ukrainian producers of greenhouse vegetables require import quotas and the introduction of trade duties for imported products,” Yekateryna Zvereva, the director for development at the association, said.
The loss of the Russian market forced greenhouse owners to seek new sales markets and expand the range of products.
“Today, the main importers of Ukrainian tomatoes and cucumbers are Belarus and Poland, the countries that re-export these products,” the report says.
