Ukraine's Jan-Jun exports of alumina down 3.1% on year

Ukraine's Jan-Jun exports of alumina down 3.1% on year Ukraine's exports of alumina decreased 3.1% year-on-year to 678,850 mt in the first half of the year, down from 700,710 mt exported in January-June 2006, the State Statistics Committee reported Wednesday. In June alone Ukraine exported 112,330 mt of the commodity worth $29.51 million, down from 116,120 mt worth $30.68 million exported in May, and down from 121,340 mt worth $28.85 million exported in June 2006, the committee reported. Ukraine's major producer of alumina, Mykolayiv Alumina Plant (MAP), is exporting most of the output to Russia. MAP, which is majority owned by Russian aluminum group Rusal, is the largest alumina producer in Europe as it capable of producing more than 1.4 million mt/year of the commodity. Ukraine exported 1.39 million mt of alumina in 2006, up from 1.33 million mt exported in 2005. Ukraine produced a total of 1.66 million mt of the commodity in 2006, up from 1.61 million mt produced in 2005.