The volume of commercial output of Kyivsky cardboard paper mill (Obukhiv, Kyiv region), the leader in the pulp and paper industry in sales, grew by 42.4% in January compared to the same month in 2021, to UAH 668 .31 million.
According to the statistics of the UkrPapir association, provided to Interfax-Ukraine, at the same time, in kind, only the production of base paper for sanitary and hygienic products showed a slight increase (by 1%), to 7,570 tonnes.
The mill reduced the production of corrugated packaging by 7.5%, to 15.65 million square meters, cardboard – by 6.4%, to 17,830 tonnes (including container increased by 2.8% to 12,130 tonnes, boxboard reduced by 21.3% – to 5,700 tonnes.
Production of toilet paper in rolls fell by 8.2% to 33.19 million pieces.
According to the association, in general, enterprises of the industry in January 2021 increased the production of corrugated packaging by 3.5%, to 48 million square meters, paper and cardboard were reduced by 4.6%, to 64,000 tonnes, toilet paper production in rolls was reduced by 8.5%, to 54.65 million pieces.
Kyivsky cardboard paper mill is one of the largest enterprises in Europe for the production of cardboard and paper products with a staff of about 2,200 people. Products are sold to almost 700 companies in Ukraine, a number of CIS countries and far abroad.
As reported, the mill intends to invest up to EUR 20 million in the development of a new industrial site in Verkhniodniprovsk (Dnipropetrovsk region) for the production of corrugated products.
Malt production in Ukraine in January grew by 10.8%, to 18,600 tonnes.
Malt production in 2021 amounted to 218,500 tonnes, which is 19.5% less than in 2020.
At the same time, the year before last, its production decreased by 18% compared to 2019, to 275,000 tonnes.
The state-owned enterprise Skhidny Mining and Processing Plant in 2021 reduced the production of uranium oxide concentrate (UOC) by 38.9% (by 289.07 tonnes) compared to 2020, to 454.63 tonnes.
According to the company’s data on the unified public portal of open data, 32.17 tonnes of UOC were produced in January, 31.37 tonnes in February, 49.8 tonnes in March, 37.8 tonnes in April, and 41.57 tonnes in May, 35.1 tonnes in in June, 52.3 tonnes in July, nothing in August, 60.14 tonnes in September, 33.28 tonnes in October, 18.1 tonnes in November, 63 tonnes in December.
In addition, in January 2022, the production of uranium concentrate by the enterprise amounted to 24.6 tonnes.
Skhidny Mining is the only enterprise in Ukraine and the largest enterprise in Europe for the extraction and processing of uranium ore. The annual demand of Ukrainian NPPs for uranium concentrate is about 22,400 tonnes.
Cherkasy Azot, part of Dmytro Firtash’s Group DF nitrogen business and primarily engaged in production of chemical fertilizers, has launched a project to launch the production of AdBlue, a special additive for diesel engines used to reduce NO (nitrogen oxide) emissions.
“We are entering a growing, marginal, but very competitive market. Completion of all preparatory work for the launch of the project is expected in the first half of 2022,” the company’s CEO, Vitaliy Skliarov, said in a release.
According to the report, the expected production volume of the reagent is 10,000 tonnes per year.
At the moment, Azot has carried out preparatory work for the installation of equipment. The production of the reagent will be organized on the basis of workshop K-4, where crystalline caprolactam was previously produced.
The volume of investments will be announced after the launch of the project and will include all the necessary certification procedures.
Skliarov added that negotiations are underway with the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), which developed this technology, to conduct an audit and issue a license to use the AdBlue brand. According to him, the sale of these products is planned both in the domestic and foreign markets, it is possible to increase the capacity.
According to Group DF estimates, the volume of the market for AdBlue and its analogues in Ukraine is about 35,000-45,000 tonnes per year, while today more than 60% of the Ukrainian market is occupied by imports, and Cherkasy Azot will be able to gradually replace imported products.
“AdBlue is, in fact, an aqueous solution of urea, respectively, its largest producers worldwide are nitrogen plants. It is logical that in Ukraine we will have a price advantage over competitors … We will also have a price advantage in the European market,” Skliarov said.
Mariupol-based Illich Iron and Steel Works (Donetsk region), part of Metinvest Group, increased the output of general rolled products in January 2022, according to recent data, by 9.6% compared to 2020, to 390,000 tonnes.
As the enterprise told Interfax-Ukraine, steel production during this period increased by 5.3%, to 380,000 tonnes, cast iron – by 0.6%, to 360,000 tonnes.
In December, Illich Steel Works produced about 340,000 tonnes of general rolled products, 360,000 tonnes of steel, and 420,000 tonnes of cast iron.
Illich Iron and Steel Works is part of Metinvest Group, the main shareholders of which are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%), jointly managing the company.
Until 2030, Ukraine will increase the harvest and production of the main types of agricultural raw materials, which will allow the country to consolidate the status of a constantly growing producer and exporter of grains, oilseeds and sunflower oil, while a reduction is expected in production of sugar, milk and beef, the Ukrainian Agriculture Export Association (UAEA) reported.
As the UAEA told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday, the relevant data are contained in a joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which compares the average annual production of the main types of agricultural products for 2018-2022 with projections in 2030.
Thus, the growth of the corn crop in Ukraine is projected from 33.99 million tonnes to 44.01 million tonnes (29.4% more), wheat – from 26.01 million tonnes to 35.86 million tonnes (37.8% more), and oilseeds – from 22.04 million tonnes to 26.29 million tonnes (19.3% more).
During the specified period, an increase in production of vegetable oil is also expected from 6.88 million tonnes to 8.4 million tonnes (22.1% more), poultry meat – from 1.15 million tonnes to 1.54 million tonnes (33.9% more), pork – from 0.71 million tonnes to 0.82 million tonnes (15.5% more), and fish and seafood – from 99,000 tonnes to 101,000 tonnes (2% more).
At the same time, Ukraine is projected to reduce milk production from 9.82 million tonnes to 8.93 million tonnes (9.1% less), sugar – from 1.38 million tonnes to 1.24 million tonnes (10.1% less) and beef – from 0.37 million tonnes to 0.33 million tonnes (10.8% less).
“The current forecasts of international organizations almost always consider Ukraine as a constantly growing producer and exporter of grains, oilseeds and sunflower oil, that is, our status as a supplier of raw materials to the world market will be strengthened,” the association summed up.