Ukraine's eastern region is the largest processor of grains and oilseeds in the country

The eastern region of Ukraine is the largest player in the country in terms of grain processing. Thus, the region takes the first position in terms of flour production, which mainly consists of production of wheat and wheat-rye flour - 95-96% of the general production of these products.

The following three companies produce almost half of the flour volumes in the region: SE "Novopokrovskij kombinat hleboproduktov", "Urozhay" LLC and OJSC "Luganskmlyn". In 2012, the combined share of these companies in the general production volume totaled 49%, in 2011 – 41%.

It is also necessary to note that in 2012, maize showed the lowest prime cost of production among the main grain crops in the eastern region (1077 UAH/t), due to the relatively high grain yield (nearly 4.27 t/ha). The largest prime cost was typical for barley - 1901 UAH/t. The index was caused by extreme weather conditions of the last year in the vegetation period, resulting in higher costs to maintain the planted areas.

Besides, the eastern region produces 26% of the general volume of sunflower seed in Ukraine, and processes over 20% of the volumes. During 2008-2012. sunflower oil production in the region increased by 28%.

Ukraine is one of the popular tourist destinations in 2013

Annually international travel portal Globe Spots makes Top-10 the most attractive countries for the travelling. In the rating 2013 Ukraine takes the eighth place, passing ahead of Malawi and Canada.

Usually the list consists of exotic and unknown for tourists countries. Portugal, Mozanbique and Kyrgyzstan are at the top of the rating. They are followed by Panama, Armenia, Rwanda and Cuba. Globe Spots admits that Ukraine offers a surprisingly diverse tourism package. And even with more English to guide you around and an ever improving infrastructure, there are still numerous parts of the country that remain unexplored.

Black Sea wheat futures

Today the world is consuming more food than ever. Certain regions are specially equipped to produce the crop required to meet increasing demand. Latin America is that area for soybeans. For grains, it’s the Black Sea.

130 years ago, this region was known as the breadbasket of the world. Over time, war and Soviet agricultural policy largely hindered the robust agricultural production that is possible there.

Russia and Ukraine exported about 20 percent of the world’s wheat for the 2011-2012 marketing year (the number jumps to 24 percent when including Kazakhstan), making the region the number two exporter in the world after the United States. This is astonishing given that the region represented only 3 percent of global wheat exports in the 2003-2004 marketing year.

But with the current and expected production growth, producers in the region and buyers of Black Sea Wheat, such as those in North Africa and the Middle East, have an increased need to manage their price risk given the fact that wheat price volatility has been increasing over last years.

Despite its position as a top exporter, the Black Sea was essentially the only wheat producing area in the world without its own futures contract. Different wheat prices benchmark existed but they poorly reflected wheat prices fluctuations in the Black sea region. That’s why the Black Sea wheat contract is better placed to converge with wheat produced in the region, partly thanks to the fact that the contract is deliverable at several ports along the Black Sea.

Producers and buyers of Black Sea wheat have mostly had to negotiate a price for deliverable wheat and trust that their counterparty will not back out of the deal in favor of a better one. Complicating this situation further is the international nature of most of the trades. With an exchange traded futures contract, both parties can safely transfer their risk with the added benefit of central clearing. However it remains price risk management tool rather than substitute to the physical market.

After the launch of the Black sea wheat contract on 6 Jun 2012 the first traded month was September 2012 contract. It expired on 31st August. All the positions in September 2012 contract were offset before the expiration and no delivery took place, showing contract’s ability to be used for risk management purposes. 

Solid waste situation in Ukraine

For Ukraine, as well as for many other countries, the issue of solid waste treatment is very urgent, considering that accumulated solid waste is the main cause of soil and groundwater pollution. According to the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction (hereinafter - “MRDC”) in Ukraine in 2011 about 12 m tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were produced, and the annual amount is growing by an average of 3-5% per year. Also, according to MRDC, waste accumulated by this point of time contains about 2.5 m tons of paper, 400 thsd tons of steel, 25 thsd tons of ferrous metals, and 400 thsd t of plastic. In 2011, the UNDP estimated the value of raw material potential in case of introduction of separate waste collection and waste recycling would amount to c. UAH 1.3 bn (about EUR 120 m).

Ukrainian government recognizes importance and urgency of the problem of solid waste treatment in Ukraine and is currently implementing a number of initiatives at the national level -  National project “Clean City” (under the patronage of the President of Ukraine) - construction of waste processing plants in 10 regions of Ukraine on terms of public-private partnership.

Solid domestic waste production

According to MRDC, c. 50 m cubic meters of waste are produced annually in Ukraine, or about 11-12 m tons of waste, an average of 240 kg per capita (in large cities this figure may be as high as 400-450 kg/ person). The forecasted growth of MSW production is 3-5% per annum. Also, the Ministry estimates that currently there have been accumulated approximately 2.5 m tons of paper and cardboard, 400 thsd tons of ferrous and 25 thsd tons of non-ferrous metals, and 400 thsd tons of plastic in the form of waste.

According to the analytical study carrid out in 2011 under the UNDP project “Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development”, calculations based on market prices for secondary raw materials in Ukraine resulted in the following estimations of economic effect from operation of waste processing complexes, which incorporate waste sorting stations and incinerators for solid waste: paper and cardboard – UAH 180 m, metals – UAH 225 m, glass – UAH 40 m, polymers – UAH 740 m, textile – UAH 80 m, and heat or electricity generated for the surrounding neighborhoods and waste processing purposes – UAH 35 m. The total effect could amount to UAH 1.3 bn (EUR 120 m).

In 2011 only 7% of household waste was recycled and disposed of (3% - separately collected and recycled, 4% - burned in two incineration plants – in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk).

In 9 Ukrainian cities: Kyiv, Sevastopil, Kharkiv, Chernivtsi, Simferopol, Olexandria (Kirovohradska obl.), Novohrad-Volynskyy, Bucha and Pohreby (Kyivska obl.) there are waste sorting lines in operation, and in 19 more towns such facilities are under construction. In two cities (Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk) waste is partially being utilized at incineration plants, and in Lyubotin (Kharkivska obl.) a pilot incineration plant has been recently put into operation.

Waste treatment plants in Ukraine

Where in Ukraine are the most luxury cars: rating

In Kiev and its region ride 34,000 cars, which are expensive more than $ 100 000. In second best is Dnepropetrovsk.

Ukrainians like expensive cars. Only in Kyiv were registered over 30,000 VIP-cars, which cost more than 100,000 dollars. The capital takes the "lion's share" of the most luxurious cars. For example, from 30 cars Aston Martin, registered in Ukraine, 18 accounted for Kiev, 35 cars from 50 Maybach are metropolitan, from 56 Rolls-Royce cars – 35 are situated in Kiev. Mark Bentley ceased to be exclusive - 218 pieces have metropolitan residence, and all of them in Ukraine are 392, according to the "Comments".

Richest region is also the capital - in Kiev and the region registered 34,650 vehicles worth more than 100,000 dollars (just over 30% of the total). In second place Dnepropetrovsk region, here counted 6913 (about 7%), "cool" cars. The surprising fact is that the Volyn region with low population density, bypassed the rich industrial Donetsk, Volyn 6350 VIP-motorists (5.8% of the total in the country). For comparison, in Donetsk region registered 6201 (5.6%) cars, which are expensive more than a hundred thousand dollars. The most "poor" were Luhansk - 1973 and Chernivtsi regions - 1422 cars.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ukrainians prefer automobile brand from Germany. Ukraine has registered 39,643 Mercedes-Benz. In second place is another representative of Germany - Bavarian BMW, the car’s number is 24,139. Closes the top three, aforetime the dream of "glided youth" Lexus, only in Kiev and its region there are 8156 cars, and in Ukraine - 21,607.

The most exclusive in Ukraine exactly can be called Aston Martin. As mentioned above, there are only 30 Aston Martin cars, even Bentley (392), Maserati (153), Rolls-Royce (56) and Maybach (50) are more spread.

As journalists calculated daily on the country roads are driving more than $ 10 billion "luxury" cars.

Deflation in Ukraine in 2012 was 0.2%

Deflation in Ukraine for 12 months of 2012 (December 2012 to December 2011) was 0.2% in December compared with November, the consumer price index (CPI) was 100.2%. It is reported by the State Statistics Service.

In the consumer market in December, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 0.1%. Mostly (by 4.7% and 3.7%) grew vegetables and eggs. On 1,2-0,5%, prices for milk, sour cream, margarine, cheese, bread, dairy products. Along with this significantly (by 4.6%) sugar prices have fallen. On 1,2-0,7% decrease in prices of rice, fruits, grain, fish and fish products, at 0,3-0,1% - pasta, meat and meat products, oil.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose by 0.7%, including alcoholic beverages - by 0.9%, tobacco products - by 0.5%.

Prices (tariffs) for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 0.2%.

The price index for transport as a whole was 100.0%. The cost of passenger transportation increased by 0.5% for the rail and 0.2% for the road transport. At the same time there was a decline in air transport (by 0.8%) and fuel and oil (0.2%).

Happy Generous Eve!

Malanka, Schedry vecher — Generous Eve is an Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian folk holiday celebrated on January 13, which is New Year's Eve in accordance with the Julian calendar (see Old New Year).

Malanka commemorates the feast day of Saint Melania the Younger. On this night in Ukraine, carolers traditionally went from house to house playing pranks or acting out a small play (similar to Vertep), with a bachelor dressed in women's clothing leading the troop. Malanka caps off the festivities of the Christmas holidays, and is often the last opportunity for partying before the solemn period of Lent which precedes Easter.

Vertep is a portable puppet theatre and drama predominantly in Ukraine, which presents the nativity scene, other mystery plays, and later secular plots as well.

Discover 36 different types of houses with pictures on Lushome.club.