The metallurgical complex has been and remains a key sector of the economy of the Donetsk region. Enterprises of metallurgical production and production of finished metal products in January-May 2021 sold products worth 76.0 billion hryvnia, which amounted to 53.3% of the total sales of industrial products in the region and 32.6% of sold products of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine (excluding the temporarily occupied the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions).
From the export of ferrous metals in January-May 2021, 1,963.2 million US dollars were received, which, compared to January-May of the previous year, is more by 720.1 million dollars, or 57.9%, and amounted to 83, 9% of foreign exchange earnings from export supplies of all goods by economic entities of the region and 40.0% of exports of ferrous metals in Ukraine.
Since the beginning of 2021, there has been a favorable trend for exporters to increase prices in foreign markets for the sale of ferrous metals. In January-May, the weighted average price of a ton of metal exported by regional enterprises increased by 42.1% compared to the same period in 2020, which made it possible to receive an additional $ 581.3 million in foreign currency earnings. Its growth due to an 11.2% increase in the physical volume of exports of ferrous metals amounted to $ 138.8 million.
The total volume of production in metallurgical production and production of finished metal products in January-May 2021 increased by 10.5% compared to January-May of the previous year.
Further development of the metallurgical complex depends on its investment. However, since the beginning of 2021, it has not been possible to overcome the downward trend in investment processes that arose in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the latest data, in the first quarter of 2021, the volume of capital investment in metallurgical production and the production of finished metal products decreased by half compared to the first quarter of 2020. In total, 932.9 million hryvnia was used, which amounted to 45.4% of the total volume of capital investments in the industry of the region (in the first quarter of 2020 - 61.9%). The share of the region's metallurgy in investment in the metallurgical complex of Ukraine decreased over this period from 40.5% to 27.3%.
In January - May 2021, 30.3 thousand people, or every fifth industrial worker, were employed at the enterprises of metallurgical production and the production of finished metal products in the region. Their average monthly salary was UAH 18,962, which is 11.3% more than in January - May 2020. In May 2021, the level of wages of metallurgists reached UAH 20,191.
Help. On the third Sunday of July (2021 - July 18), Ukraine celebrates the professional holiday established by Presidential Decree No. 187/93 of June 3, 1993 - the Day of Metallurgical and Mining Industry Workers.
