Business news from Ukraine

CANCELLATION OF LICENSING OF WHEAT EXPORT FROM UKRAINE TO INCREASE PURCHASE PRICES FOR NEW CROP – GRAINTRADE

Licensing of wheat exports from Ukraine, introduced on March 6 amid Russian aggression, has created additional pressure on domestic wheat purchase prices, and the abolition of this state regulation will revive exports and stabilize prices for this exchange commodity.

This is how experts of the electronic grain exchange GrainTrade commented on the statement made recently by First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky about the abolition of licensing for wheat exports in July, according to the website of the grain trading platform on Monday.

“Amid blocked ports, the purchase prices for grain in Ukraine fell sharply, but the introduction of licenses for the export of wheat further increased pressure on prices, which dropped to UAH 5,500-6,500/tonne with delivery to the mill… In anticipation of the harvesting of the new crop, agricultural producers have to vacate warehouse space, therefore, they are activating wheat sales, which increase pressure on prices. Therefore, the cancellation of licenses will revive exports and stabilize wheat prices,” GrainTrade said in a statement.

According to it, licensing complicates the export of wheat bran for processing enterprises, which are forced to spend additional funds on their storage or disposal, which also pushes down the price of wheat in Ukraine.

As reported, last week, Deputy Minister Vysotsky, at a meeting with representatives of the European Business Association, said that Ukraine planned to cancel the licensing of wheat exports in July and recalled active cooperation with Baltic and Polish partners to create alternative routes for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy is also working to continue the abolition of quotas and duties for the entire period of Ukraine’s candidacy for the EU, as well as the harmonization of legislation with the European one.

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MINISTRY OF AGRARIAN POLICY OF UKRAINE WORKING ON INDEFINITE ABOLITION OF QUOTAS, PLANS TO CANCEL LICENSES FOR WHEAT EXPORT

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine is working to extend the abolition of duties and quotas for the import of agricultural products to the EU countries for the entire period of its candidacy for the EU, as well as to harmonize Ukrainian legislation with the European one.
The integration prospects in the context of Ukraine obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership were announced by First Deputy Minister Taras Vysotsky at a meeting with the European Business Association (EBA) on June 22, according to the EBA website on Friday.
According to the organization, in addition to the abolition of quotas and duties from the EU in early July, it is planned to cancel licenses for the export of Ukrainian wheat to the EU countries.
Also, in order to open alternative logistics routes, the ministry is negotiating with countries on the use of the Baltic and Polish corridors for the export of agricultural products.
“To support the dairy industry, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy is negotiating with the European Commission to provide grants of up to EUR 50 million to small farmers, and the possibility of submitting them to other international support programs is being considered,” EBA quotes Vysotsky.
The association noted that in the near future it is planned to separate queues for customs clearance of goods with perishable products at two checkpoints on the border with Poland – in Krakovets and Yahodyn.
As reported, on June 4, Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council No. 2022/870 on temporary trade liberalization measures, exempting Ukrainian exports from all duties and quotas for a year, came into force.

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MOLDOVA STOPPED EXPORT OF WHEAT, FLOUR AND SUGAR

The temporary suspension of exports of wheat, flour and sugar will ensure Moldova’s food security until the next harvest, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gerciu said Thursday in parliament.
The minister did not predict the price of bread in autumn, but said that this year’s wheat harvest will be less than last year’s (900,000 tons instead of 1.7 million tons). But even this will be enough to cover domestic demand, which is estimated at 660,000 tons per year.
Referring to the supply of fertilizers in Moldova, disrupted due to hostilities in Ukraine, the minister said that the country consumes 270,000 tons of fertilizers annually. Until the end of February, the cost of this volume of fertilizers was estimated at $80 million, but now the price has risen to $220 million. “129,000 tons of fertilizers have already been imported to Moldova this year, which is enough to meet the needs of agricultural producers today,” Gerciu added.

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UKRAINE TO SET MAXIMUM EXPORT VOLUMES FOR WHEAT IN 2021/2022 MARKETING YEAR AT 25.3 MLN TONNES

Participants in the grain market and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine have set the maximum export volumes for wheat in the current 2021/2022 marketing year (MY) at 25.3 million tonnes, compared to 17.5 million tonnes in the previous marketing year. According to the ministry’s website, the corresponding addition to the memorandum of understanding for 2021/2022 was signed on October 19.
The ministry recalled that it is organizing the signing of such memorandums on its platform, starting in 2011, to ensure food security, in order to avoid the use of export restrictions, to ensure a predictable grain export regime and to stabilize the grain market in Ukraine.
“The practice of signing memorandums is successful in terms of compliance by the signatories with the conditions on the possibility of exporting grain volumes,” the department noted.
At the same time, this year the heads of the Ukrainian Millers union, the Ukrainian Bakers’ Association and Ukrkhlibprom withdrew their signatures to the memorandum, considering the export ceiling without dividing wheat into food and fodder as highly inflated.

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USDA FORECASTS PRODUCTION OF WHEAT IN UKRAINE AT 33 MILLION TONNES

In its September report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) kept the forecast for the production of Ukrainian wheat in the 2021/22 year (July-June) at 33 million tonnes, and its exports at 23.5 million tonnes, which is in line with the Department’s forecast published in August. In the September report, the USDA also kept the forecast for the corn harvest in 2021/22 at 39 million tonnes, and its exports from Ukraine at 32 million tonnes.
As reported, from the beginning of 2021/22 and as of September 10, 2021, Ukraine exported 10.29 million tonnes of grains and legumes, which is 12% more than on the same date of the previous year. Some 5.92 million tonnes of wheat were exported (4.1% less than on the same date 2020/21), 2.99 million tonnes of barley (a rise of 24.7%), 1.34 million tonnes of corn (2.2 times up); 24,700 tonnes of flour (33.7% less).

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UKRAINE HARVESTS ALL-TIME HIGH AMOUNT OF WHEAT THIS SEASON

Ukraine has already harvested 29 million tonnes of wheat this season, which is 4 million tonnes more than last season, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday.
“In Ukraine, the harvesting of grain and leguminous crops continues. This year we can reach all-time high yields compared to previous years. More than 29 million tonnes of wheat have already been harvested. Corresponding figures show that, before finishing the season, we have already received 4 million tonnes more than last year as a whole,” the Prime Minister said.
At the same time, Shmyhal said that the State Agrarian Registry, which is currently being created, will help increase the competitiveness of the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex and more convenient interaction between all its structural divisions.
“This is a new level of relations between the state and agricultural producers, based on the principles of transparency, convenience and accessibility. Today we will approve the distribution of money for the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to ensure measures to create the Registry,” the prime minister said.
According to him, the implementation of the “single window” principle in the Registry will make it easier for farmers to receive services and state support. In addition, the Registry will provide an opportunity to facilitate access to bank financing.
“The agrarian Registry will accumulate the services most demanded among agricultural producers and, most importantly, will minimize the role of officials,” Shmyhal summed up.