Limestone shipments by rail decreased by 31% y/y in January-April

The main consumers were the enterprises of the steel sector

The lime industry of Ukraine in January-April 2023 reduced the supply of limestone by rail by 31% compared to the same period in 2022 – to 42 thousand tons. Ukrainian Limestone Industry Association (ULIA) informs about it.

In April 2023, limestone shipments by rail decreased by 15% m/m and by 14% y/y.

The ULIA stated that over the four months of 2023, the decline in supplies for all consumption sectors continues. As in the market as a whole, the main consumers of limestone by rail are the enterprises of the steel complex, a small share falls on the enterprises of the energy sector, the construction industry and the chemical industry.

In particular, in January-April 2023, the Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works increased its consumption of limestone by rail by 61% y/y, Kametstal – by 67% y/y. Eastern Mining and Processing Plant increased its consumption by 6 times during this period compared to January-April 2022. Other consumers supplied limestone in insignificant volumes.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2022, the country’s limestone industry reduced limestone shipments by rail by 56% y/y. In general, the Ukrainian limestone market fell by 58% last year compared to 2021, the main reason for the decline was the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. Limestone production for 2022 decreased by 61% y/y, imports fell by 70% y/y.

Also, in the first half of 2022, Ukraine reduced limestone imports by 81% compared to the same period in 2021 – to 130 thousand tons.