Page:Oleksander Yakovych Shulhyn - The Problems of the Ukraine (1919).djvu/20

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

— 14 —

exists in Ukraine some 80 factories of both large and medium size, which produce implements to the value of about £6,000,000.

But the principal industry of the Ukraine is the sugar industry. The Ukraine supplied 85 per cent. of the total sugar production of Russia. In 1915 the Ukraine possessed 222 sugar factories against the 265 possessed by Russia. The soil in the Ukraine is particularly propitious to the culture of the beet. This latter is of a sweeter kind than in any other country. The Ukraine occupies the second place, after Germany, for the production of beet sugar. This industry progresses without cessation. In 10 years (from 1905 to 1915) it has increased 100 per cent. During the season of 1914–1915 it has produced 17,000,000 quintals of beet sugar.

As to milling, the Ukraine has more than 50,000 small mills and more than 800 large mills. That is to say that it has an important flour trade, although the greater part of the cereals of the country are exported in the natural state.

The alcoholic industry is fairly well developed in the Ukraine. It furnished a quarter of the alcohol of former Russia. In 1912–1913 it produced 1,000,000 hectolitres of alcohol.

The ceramic industry is more flourishing in the Ukraine than in any of the other States of the former Empire. The Ukraine has 12 earthenware factories, 30 glass works, 12 cement factories. But the natural conditions are so favourable that these industries are bound to play a still greater part.

As to the chemical industry, although it is not fully developed as yet, it has during the last war made great progress, especially with regard to the derivatives of coke—benzol, naphthaline, ammonia, etc. One can also say that the Ukraine, when she is ready to do so, can cease to be dependent on Germany regarding these last products.

The preceding shows that the Ukraine, in consolidating its State and in attracting foreign capital, is bound to have a great economic future. Both French