PJSC Farmak pharmaceutical company (Kyiv) has opened a new section of tablet production, investment in which amounted to EUR 20 million. Head of the supervisory board of the company Filia Zhebrovska said at the ceremony of opening the site in Kyiv that this project will allow Farmak to double the capacity of production of solid dosage forms to 3 billion tablets per year.
In general, it is planned in 2019 to transfer and master production of about 30 goods at new site TLF-2, including the drugs from the Available Medicines reimbursement program. Zhebrovska noted that the latest technology of pharmaceutical production and the most modern equipment are used on the site. The project has been implemented during two years. Due to the increase in capacity, Farmak will create almost 100 new jobs. “Our state needs investments for economic growth, contributing to the development of production and strengthening Ukraine’s position in the international arena,” she said.
Equipment from the leading European brands Glatt, IMA, Marchesini and others has been installed at Farmak’s new production site, which provides the entire technological cycle of tablet production from accepting and processing raw materials to the final dosage forms.
The opening of the production site brings PJSC Farmak closer to the strategic goal: the increase in exports to 40% by 2023.
BASF Concern, a leading global chemical company, has started production of innovative fungicide Revysol. According to a press release of the company, first market introductions are expected for the 2019/2020 season, and it would enter the Ukrainian market in 2023-2025.
“BASF has started production of its latest fungicide innovation Revysol at its site in Hannibal. Pending regulatory approval, first market introductions are expected for the 2019/2020 season. With an investment in the double-digit million euro range, BASF has enhanced an existing manufacturing system to produce the new active ingredient,” BASF said in the report.
The company said that Revysol “has the potential of reaching peak sales above EUR 1 billion.” BASF has applied for registration of Revysol in 60 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas for more than 40 crops.
“The proprietary compound was designed to meet the high level of regulatory standards while demonstrating an outstanding performance and selectivity in a broad range of row and specialty crops. Revysol will be available in customized formulations to farmers across the globe and enable them to better protect their crops under various growing conditions,” the company said.
Sugar production in Ukraine as of December 4 amounted to 1.517 million tonnes. According to the Ukrtsukor National Association of Sugar Producers, at present sugar refineries in the country have processed 11.25 million tonnes of sugar beets. As reported, Ukraine started a new sugar making season on August 31.
In 2018, the area under sugar beets was 280,000 hectares, which is 13% less than in 2017.
Ukraine exported 560,400 tonnes of sugar in the 2017/2018 agricultural year (September-August), which is 27.2% less than in the previous agri-year. Sugar production in the 2017/2018 agri-year increased by 6.5% and amounted to 2.14 million tonnes. Some 46 sugar factories were operating during the season.
Ukraine reduced crude steel production 1% year-on-year in January-November 2018 to 19.3 million tonnes, according to preliminary data.
The Ukrmetallurgprom (Dnipro) association told Interfax that roll output grew 1% to 16.835 million tonnes, and pig iron production rose 3% to 18.78 million tonnes.
Crude steel production was 1.744 million tonnes in November alone, down 2.5% from October, roll production was 1.473 million tonnes, down 3.6%, and pig iron 1.695 million tonnes, down 5%.
The main pipe enterprises of Ukraine in January-October 2018 increased production of pipes from ferrous metals by 7.62% compared to the same period in 2017, to 941,600 tonnes, including 97,500 tonnes in September. The Ukrtruboprom association told Interfax-Ukraine the enterprises of the association in January-October 2018 raised production of pipes by 16.7%, to 677,800 tonnes, in October to 68,300 tonnes.
Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant (Donetsk region), located in the government uncontrolled zone, remained idle in January-October 2018, while in January-October 2017 it made 3,400 tonnes of pipes. Pipe production at Interpipe Nyzhniodniprovsky Pipe Rolling Plant in the period rose by 13.6% compared to January-October 2017, to 240,900 tonnes (22,100 tonnes in September), Interpipe Novomoskovsk Pipe Plant increased output by 17.9%, to 95,300 tonnes (10,200 tonnes), while Interpipe Niko Tube raised production by 25.2%, to 309,400 tonnes (32,800 tonnes). Dnipropetrovsk Pipe decreased pipe production by 13.5%, to 13,400 tonnes, making 1,100 tonnes in October. Production at Centravis grew by 7.2%, being 16,400 tonnes of stainless pipes (1,900 tonnes).
Ukraine in 2022 would increase grain and oilseeds production from 90 million tonnes in 2018 to 100 million tonnes, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) Mykola Horbachev has said. “We expect that by 2022 Ukraine will increase the production of grain and oilseeds to 100 million tonnes, exports will be up to 70 million tonnes. By this time, the port capacity will be enough to unload these volumes,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“This year we already have more than 90 million tonnes. This season we expect a record grain yield thanks to corn. We had 6 tonnes per hectare in good years before, and this year we already have 7.8 tonnes from 1 ha. We are approaching normal rates. For example, in the United States, the average corn yield is 11 tonnes per ha,” Horbachev said.
At the same time, according to him, next year we can expect a slight decline in cereal production, since the record corn harvest may not repeat.
“We predict a total grain and oilseed harvest of 92 million tonnes. If next year the corn harvest is usual, this figure will decrease by almost 9 million tonnes. But this is more associated with corn. We expect the same (that is, usual) harvest for major crops, since the acreage has not changed,” the president of the UGA said.
According to him, the export of grain without processing products for the current year is planned at the level of 52-52.5 million tonnes. However, companies may have difficulties with timely delivery of grain to ports due to difficulties with Ukrzaliznytsia.
“We can work at the level of 5 million tonnes of exports per month. But it must somehow be predicted: about 6 million tonnes of corn were sold in October-November, but it is not a fact that it will have time to get to the port. Thus, some companies had a situation when they could not ensure the availability of cargo in the port. They purchased grain in Argentina or Brazil and supplied it from those countries, not from Ukraine,” Horbachev said.
