Epicenter Agro headed for the TOP 5 companies by grain storage capacity

Epicenter Agro agricultural holding launched the first phase of the investment project — two new elevators were constructed and the capacity of two more elevators in Vinnytsya and Khmelnytsky regions were increased.

"The number of elevators serving the agricultural business of Epicenter K Group has increased from 6 to 8. The total storage capacity has reached more than 800 thou. t," the company said in a statement.

Two new route elevator complexes were put into operation in Vinnytsya region: Vendychany (Mogylev-Podilsky district) with a capacity of 120 thou. t and Vapnyarka (Tomashpilsky district) with a capacity of 200 thou. t. The reconstruction of the Vinnytsya elevator (Vinnytsya city) was also completed thus increasing its storage capacity 168 thou. t. In addition, Zakupnyanske grain receiving station's capacities improved by 60 thou. t (Khmelnytsky region). After the reconstruction, the enterprise provides for drying and storage of 105 thou. t of grain.

As noted by Vasily Moroz, Head of the agricultural division of Epicenter K, after the implementation of all the projects, the elevator capacity will progress by the end of 2019/20 to 1 mln t. The company plans to increase its grain storage capacity to 2 mln t by the end of 2020/21.

"About UAH 3 bln have already been invested in the development and reconstruction of the elevator business of Epicenter K Group. The funds were used to purchase equipment, build and develop local transport infrastructure. The total cost of projects for the development and reconstruction of elevator complexes will amount to UAH 4.6 bln," the company said in a statement.

According to Svetlana Nikityuk, Head of the Trading Department and Deputy Head for Agricultural Matters and Storage Business of Epicenter, the rapid increase of grain storage capacities will allow Epicenter Agro to enter the top-5 operators in the elevator market of Ukraine in the next marketing year.

"We plan to use all our elevators as commercial objects: they are planned to make 2-3 turnovers per marketing year, serving not only our grain but also receiving, treatment and storage of crops from third parties," she stressed.

In the current season, the new and modernized elevators of the company plan to receive for treatment and storage of about 50 thou. t of grain from third parties.

As a reminder, Epicenter K started flour production in the Vinnytsya production cluster. Flour milling capacities were put into operation at one of the agroholding's elevators — Gnivan Grain Collecting Station.

The new edition of the infographic guide Ukrainian Agribusiness 2018/19 is available for download.