Economy of Volyn in 2003

AGRICULTURE Livestock production increased by 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. Over the year, 81 thousand tons of livestock and poultry were sold for slaughter, 503 thousand tons of milk were produced, and 212 million eggs were obtained. Production of meat and eggs increased by 8 and 6 percent respectively, while milk decreased by 2 percent. The population produced 73-85 percent of the total volume of main types of livestock products. More than 560 thousand tons of grain (in weight after processing), 572 thousand tons of sugar beets, 1042 thousand tons of potatoes, and 171 thousand tons of vegetables were harvested in the region's fields. Compared to 2002, production of sugar beets and vegetables increased. At the same time, somewhat less grain crops and potatoes were grown. As a result of the decrease in production of these products, as well as milk, the total volume of agricultural production compared to the previous year decreased by 1.3 percent. This decrease is significantly less than in the country as a whole (production decreased by 10.2 percent) and in neighboring regions (by 3-4 percent).

CONSTRUCTION Over the year, construction enterprises performed work worth UAH 178.3 million through their own efforts, which is 37.5 percent more than in the previous year. Enterprises of all forms of ownership increased construction volumes. Builders of Lutsk performed more than two-thirds of the region-wide volumes. Construction enterprises of 12 districts and three cities of regional significance increased volumes of contract work.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS Road transport of the region (including transportation performed by individual entrepreneurs) transported 1.2 million tons of cargo, which is 41.4 percent more than a year ago. All categories of carriers, excluding railway transportation, transported 86.2 million passengers, which is 3.4 percent less than the year before last. Although it should be noted that according to estimated data, passenger transportation by motor transport of business entities increased 1.6 times. Communications enterprises are operating stably. In January-November they provided services worth UAH 126.4 million, of which UAH 65.2 million were to the population. Compared to the corresponding period of 2002, the total value of services provided in comparable prices increased by 13.6 percent. The largest revenues were received from long-distance, including international, and local telephone communications.

FOREIGN TRADE IN GOODS According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, foreign trade turnover in goods of the region's business entities in January-November amounted to USD 618.8 million, which is 44 percent more than in 2002. At the same time, goods worth USD 192.4 million were exported (38 percent more than the year before last), and imports amounted to USD 426.4 million (48 percent more). Foreign trade operations in goods were carried out with partners from 82 countries, goods were exported to 62 countries, and imports were received from 61. 259 enterprises of the region exported products. 294 business entities received imported goods.

POPULATION INCOMES The average monthly wage of Volyn residents, according to preliminary data, increased by 26 percent compared to the year before last and amounted to UAH 319. Higher earnings were in the sphere of financial intermediation, informatization and public administration, and among industrial enterprises - in the production of electrical and electronic, transport equipment, in the chemical and petrochemical industry. They are significantly lower in agriculture, the sphere of individual services and primary general education. During December, the amount of unpaid wages decreased by 9 percent, and over the year - by almost a third.

LABOR MARKET Over the past year, more than 55 thousand Volyn residents applied to the state employment service, which is 4 thousand, or 8 percent, more than the year before last. During this time, more than 29 thousand people were employed, compared to almost 27 thousand in 2002. In total, at the end of the year, 27.8 thousand unoccupied citizens were registered with the state employment service, of whom 27.1 thousand were unemployed. Over the year, the number of unemployed increased by 9 percent, with the increase occurring due to rural residents (by a quarter), while in urban settlements their number decreased by 4 percent. The unemployment rate is 4.9 percent of the able-bodied population of working age. From the Fund of Compulsory State Social Insurance against Unemployment, unemployment benefits were paid in the amount of over UAH 23 million, or an average of UAH 103 per month to each unemployed person who received it.

CONSUMER MARKET AND SERVICES SECTOR Retail trade turnover (which includes retail turnover of enterprises engaged in retail trade and restaurant business, estimated data on sales of goods at markets and by individual entrepreneurs) amounted to UAH 1437 million and exceeded the 2002 volume by almost 18 percent. The leading role in forming the total volume of consumer goods sales through all sales channels belongs to enterprises-legal entities. Their turnover increased by 17 percent compared to the previous year and amounts to UAH 975 million, or almost two-thirds of the total. Turnover per capita of the region is also growing monthly. It averaged UAH 77 per month (last year - UAH 62). By this indicator, Volyn ranks 10th among the regions of Ukraine. Enterprises for which the main type of activity is the provision of services received over UAH 386 million in income from their sale in January-November, including UAH 175 million from services to the population. The most services were sold by transport and communications enterprises.

PRICES AND TARIFFS The consumer price index (inflation index) in the country, according to the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, for 2003 was 108.2 percent, in the previous year - 99.4 percent (in the region - 105.8 and 98.8 percent respectively). For December it was 101.5 percent (in the region - 101 percent). Retail prices for food products increased by 5.7 percent over the year. For non-food products, they increased by 6.4 percent. Prices (tariffs) for services increased by 3.7 percent.

PAYMENT FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNAL SERVICES In January-November, the population of the region paid UAH 113.3 million for housing and communal services. The payment level was 99.6 percent. As of the beginning of December, citizens owed UAH 67.8 million. Since the beginning of the year, the debt decreased by 12 percent. In the region, 18.7 thousand agreements were concluded for repayment of restructured debt in the amount of UAH 11.7 million, which constitutes 17 percent of the total debt. During the past year, subsidies for reimbursement of payment for housing and communal services were assigned to 66 thousand families in the amount of UAH 3 million.

DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION Last year, the number of residents of the region decreased, which is due to natural population decline and migration processes. According to estimated data, as of the beginning of 2004, 1049.1 thousand people lived in the territory of Volyn. Last year, 8.4 thousand new married couples were formed in the region, which is 17 percent more than the year before last. At the same time, the number of married couples who dissolved their marital relations increased somewhat and amounted to about 3 thousand.