The EU has claimed problems for local businesses due to easier imports of Ukrainian grain, and the IMF has predicted growth of the Russian economy in 2023 and 2024 – these and other important news for Tuesday morning, January 31, in our daily review.

Imports of agricultural products from Ukraine to neighboring EU countries rose sharply in 2022, creating difficulties for local producers in those countries, according to a letter from a delegation from Poland, also speaking on behalf of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. The countries noted that they are helping to organize agricultural exports from Ukraine to third countries: in particular, customs duties on imports from Ukraine have been abolished. However, more and more signs point to the need to impose restrictions, otherwise the influx of Ukrainian products could create problems for European farmers.

The International Monetary Fund has published an updated forecast of the state of the world economy and the economies of individual countries for 2023-2024. The forecast for Russia has improved, it follows from the document. In 2023, the Fund forecasts Russia’s GDP growth by 0.3% (the October forecast expected a decline of 2.3%), and in 2024 – growth of 2.1%.

IMF experts’ estimates are beginning to converge with Russian forecasts, the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development reported after the International Monetary Fund published an updated forecast on the state of the world economy and the economies of individual countries for 2023 and 2024, the forecast for Russia has improved. RBC writes that. “Indeed, the Russian economy is confidently overcoming the sanctions barriers of unfriendly countries. In 2023, further economic recovery will depend on the recovery of consumer demand, as well as measures to ensure the growth of lending: both corporate and consumer,” – said the Ministry of Economic Development.

Electric car startup Arrival, founded by ex-Yota head and former deputy communications minister Denis Sverdlov, announced the appointment of Igor Torgov, the company’s vice president of digital technologies, as CEO. He will have to restructure the business, which involves cutting costs by about 50% and laying off half of the staff – up to 800 people, the company said in a statement.

Oil supplies from Russia by sea for the week from January 20 to 27 increased by 480 thousand barrels per day (+16%) to 3.6 million barrels. This is reported by Bloomberg agency. At the same time, a week earlier, sea exports of oil showed a decline. The main growth came to the ports of the Baltic and Pacific regions (by 310,000 barrels per day), but it was partially offset by a further decline in supplies from the port in the Arctic.