Exports of goods from Ukraine in January 2019 from January 2018 grew by 9.2%, to $4.066 billion, while imports increased by a mere 0.7%, to $4.045 billion, the State Statistics Service has reported. According to its data, as a result, the surplus of foreign trade in goods in January of this year amounted to $20.9 million against the deficit of $294.1 million in January 2018.
The State Statistics Service said that in January 2019 compared to December 2018 the seasonally adjusted export volume rose by 6.9%, to $4.373 billion, while imports by 3.8%, to $4.839 billion.
The seasonally adjusted foreign trade balance in January 2019 was negative and amounted to $465.9 million, which is better than in December 2018 ($571.5 million).
The service said that foreign trade operations were conducted with partners from 193 countries of the world.
According to customs statistics, published by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, coke and semi-coke exports were down 60% in monetary terms, to $504,000.
The majority of deliveries were made to Romania (66.27% in monetary terms), Russia (16.47%) and Moldova (16.47%).
Imports of coke and semi-coke fell by 35.5%, to 168,673 tonnes in January and February 2019, worth $51.463 million (34.7% down). The goods were mainly imported from Russia (89.55% in monetary terms), Poland (8.42%) and the Czech Republic (2.03%).
As reported, Ukraine cut coke and semi-coke exports by 88.6% year-over-year to 25,578 tonnes in 2018. Imports of coke and semi-coke fell by 45.8%, to 839,757 tonnes in 2018, worth $251.724 million (44% down).
Due to hostilities in the eastern part of Ukraine some coalmines and coking plants were left in the Ukrainian government uncontrolled territories.
Ukraine in January and February 2019 increased revenue from exports of electricity by 30.6% or $9.168 million compared with January and February 2018, to $64.847 million, including $34.093 million in February alone.
Hungary bought electricity worth $37.961 million, Poland $14.254 million, Moldova $9.441 million, other countries $3.191 million, Ukraine’s State Fiscal Service has said.
Over the period under review, Ukraine imported electricity worth $0.204 million, in particular, electricity imports from the Russian Federation were estimated at $0.196 million, from Belarus at $0.007 million, from Moldova at $0.001 million.
As reported, Ukraine in 2018 exported electricity worth $331.942 million. Hungary bought electricity worth $189.958 million, Poland $78.763 million, Moldova $53.144 million, and other countries $10.078 million. Exports of Ukrainian electricity in monetary terms in 2018 increased by 40.9% compared to 2017.
Ukraine increased electricity exports by 19.3% or 999.4 million kWh in 2018, to 6.166 billion kWh.
According to the forecast, Ukraine in 2019 plans to export 6.42 billion kWh of electricity, and this is slightly more than in 2018 (6.2 billion kWh).
Ukraine in January-February 2019 increased exports of poultry by 43% compared to the same period of 2018, to 63,600 tonnes, the State Fiscal Service has reported.
At the same time, according to its data, in monetary terms exports of these products increased by 28%, to $88.2 million.
Imports of poultry in the first two months of the year increased by 5.8%, to 21,500 tonnes, in monetary terms decreased slightly to $8.6 million.
According to the service, in January-February 2019 pork exports decreased by 68.8%, to 114 tonnes. This product was delivered for $230,000, which is 3.7 times less than the figure for the same period last year.
During this period, import of pork to Ukraine increased by 4.4 times, to 4,400 tonnes, in monetary terms it amounted to $8 million, which is 5 times more than in January-February 2018.
Ukraine since the beginning of the 2018/2019 marketing year (MY, July-June) and as of March 6, 2019 had exported 33.399 million tonnes of grain and leguminous plants.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, farmers exported 12.7 million tonnes of wheat, 3.3 million tonnes of barley, and 16.8 million tonnes of corn.
Some 179,100 tonnes of flour had been exported on that date.
As reported, with reference to the ministry, Ukraine exported 39.4 million tonnes of grain in the 2017/2018 MY.
According to the ministry, grain exports in the 2018/2019 MY are projected to be 49 million tonnes.
Kormotech LLC (Lviv region), a Ukrainian producer of cat and dog food, plans to expand the number of countries to export its products in South America and enter Hungary, Lebanon, Libya and the Czech Republic with own brands, the company’s press service has reported. According to the company’s press release, Kormotech is now delivering private label products to Chile in cooperation with Chilean distributor Anasac Ambiental. “Anasac Ambiental works throughout Latin America. In the future, we plan to increase the number of export countries. Therefore, we hope to cooperate with a Chilean partner in other countries of South America not only in private label, but also with Kormotech brands,” the press service reported, citing Production Director Ihor Paraniak.
As the company told Interfax-Ukraine, the company sent the first shipment to Chile in November 2018, its volume was 43 tonnes of wet food for cats. The sales in the new export countries are planned under private label, as well as Optimeal and Club 4 Paws trademarks.
In addition, the company plans to export products under its own brands to Hungary, Lebanon, Libya and the Czech Republic.
At the same time, Director and co-founder of the company Rostyslav Vovk said in an interview with Global FDI Reports that Kormotech is considering the acquisition of other pet food companies.
“We are building a new plant in Lithuania. And in the future – not next year, but soon – we are considering some acquisitions… In the near future, I think we will find companies that we can buy,” he said.
He also said that at the moment the strategic export directions for Kormotech are Poland, Romania and the Baltic countries, where the company has its own sales departments.
According to the results of 2018, Kormotech increased sales to 37,000 tonnes (a rise of 19%), exports amounted to 12.5%. By 2023, the company plans to increase the share of export sales to 50%.
In 2018, Kormotech increased the annual capacity of wet food production to 16,000 tonnes, and in 2019 plans to launch a wet feed factory in Lithuania with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per year.
In addition, in 2020, Kormotech wants to increase the production of dry food at its production facilities in Ukraine to 46,000 tonnes (now – about 30,000 tonnes).
In 2019, the company plans the first private label shipments to the U.K. and Finland, as well as to go to U.S. retail chains (now products are sold through Amazon in this country).
Kormotech exports products to about 20 countries, including France, Estonia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Poland. The facilities of the company include two plants for the manufacture of dry and wet pet food. The company produces products for cats and dogs under its own brands Optimeal, Club 4 paws (Meow! and Woof! trademarks) and in private label.
The ultimate beneficiaries of Kormotech are Olena and Rostyslav Vovk.
