Private company infrastructure investment to grow; new privatization targets; solar power plant construction starts

•Total private company investments in Ukraine's infrastructure development is expected to reach $2-3 billion in the coming years, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan, Ukrinform reported. According to him, global infrastructure leaders see big prospects in the Ukrainian market.

•Ukraine committed to privatization of Odesa Port-Side Plant in H1 2017, Turboatom, Centrenergo by end-Sept, Interfax-Ukraine reported. According to the memorandum with IMF, Ukrainian government also expects doption of legislation allowing for sale of Ukrspirits.

•Naftogaz wants to end the monopoly of Dmytro Firtash's Group DF on the markets of gas supplies to households, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

•HarvEast agroholding hopes to build a seed plant with a capacity of 10 tons per hour by the end of this year, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Earlier the company had a seed plant, but it lost control over the enterprise due to hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

•In Kirovograd region, construction started on a solar power plant with a capacity of 17 MW, Liga.net reported. It will be one of the largest in Ukraine. The launch of the power plant is scheduled for this summer.

•Kernel, Dniprovsky steel mill, and ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih were the largest recipients of VAT refunds in March, Interfax-Ukraine reported. The top 10 recipients of VAT refunds also include three agricultural exporters: Satellite LLC, Louis Dreyfus Company Ukraine, and Suntrade.

•Turkey is in talks with Ukraine's Ukroboronprom for a potential deal to develop an engine, initially for the Altay as well as the Firtina, a self-propelled howitzer, UNIAN reported. A team of Ukrainian engineers will soon go to work in Turkey.

•Ukrainian flour exports hit a 20-year high of over 340 KMT in the 2015/16 season. As expected, the upward trend in flour supplies from the country continued into market year 2016/17, UkrAgroConsult reported. Global trends also contribute to the growth of flour exports. The world’s demand for flour has increased 15-20% over the last 4-5 years.

•Ukrainian GDP warrants surged after JPMorgan published a note arguing that they trade at a third of their true value, Reuters reported. The 25-page report concluded that payouts on the securities, while difficult to determine, are likely to far exceed current pricing.

•In 2017 total debt of solvent banks to the National Bank of Ukraine for refinancing loans fell by $284 million, or 34%, NBU’s press-center reported.