The USAID Economic Support for Ukraine Project (USAID Project) has purchased 85 grain railcars for Louis Dreyfus, the largest exporter of Ukrainian grain and oilseeds among foreign companies, the project’s press service reports on Facebook.
According to the report, the first 20 railcars have already been delivered to one of the company’s elevators.
USAID expects that the use of additional railcars will increase grain exports by 110 thousand tons annually. In addition, Louis Dreyfus will be able to expand its geography and ship grain from regions of Ukraine where it was not possible to export grain.
The Louis Dreyfus representative office in Ukraine owns 660 railcars, some of which are located in the temporarily occupied territories. The agricultural trader exports grain to Asia, Africa and Europe.
The USAID clarified that the purchase of equipment for agricultural companies is carried out within the framework of the Agriculture Sustainability Initiative in Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine), implemented by the United States Agency for International Development, to mitigate the global food crisis, which has been exacerbated by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Chairman of the supervisory board of Louis Dreyfus Holding B.V. Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, who arrived in Kyiv at the head of the delegation of Louis Dreyfus Company, one of the largest foodstuff traders in the world, during a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced the plan to increase investment in the Ukrainian economy.
“You believe [in Ukraine], invest and promote Ukraine in the world,” Poroshenko said at a meeting with the company’s delegation.
The president noted the 20-year activity of the company in Ukraine and expressed hope that it will increase investment in the country.
Poroshenko also informed the delegation members about the progress of reforms in Ukraine aimed at improving the investment climate.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, in turn, said that the company plans to significantly increase investment in Ukraine in the coming years. She also noted that over the past four years there have been positive changes in Ukraine that the company feels in its work.
Louis Dreyfus Company is one of the largest food traders in the world with 10% of the world turnover. The company operates in 100 countries. Its core business is trade, agriculture and finance.
