Ukraine’s trade turnover rose by 20 percent year-on-year to $39.5 billion in January-April this year, the State Customs Service said.

It said that the rise was boosted by booming world iron ore prices.

With bills for imported oil and gas rising 18 percent, to $3.5 billion, imports rose 21 percent to $20.4 billion. The trade deficit for the first four months was $1.3 billion.

Although iron ore exports were down 8 percent, to 14.2 million tonnes, earnings from Ukraine’s iron ore sales almost doubled, reaching $2.3 billion

With mines in Brazil and South Africa closed due to COVID-19 infections among staff, the world price of iron ore has jumped to $200 from $40 per tonne.

Top consumers of Ukrainian iron ore in 2021 are: China – 44 percent, Poland – 9 percent and Czech Republic – 9 percent.