Zhytomyr Region (northern part in the area of Polissya and southern part in the forest-steppe) is located in central part of the East-European plain in the north of the Right Bank Ukraine in two natural zones.

Zhytomyr Region was established on September 22, 1937. This is one of the largest regions in Ukraine. Its area makes 29.9 thousand square km. The number of population in the region makes more than 1.3 million people.

The raw mineral-material potential of Zhytomyr Region is represented by 511 deposits of mineral resources, including more than 2000 deposits are presently developed. The Zhytomyr labradorite, pegmatites and quartzites are well-known all over the world; their deposits are unique. The Polissya semi-precious stone as beryl, topaz, quartz, red jasper, mountain crystal, tourmaline, amethyst, opal and many others have great demand.

Zhytomyr Region provides the demands of Ukraine in titanic concentrate. In the ore tract of land, except for titanium, there are rare earth elements as vanadium, scandium, thorium and hafnium. The region has large reserves of high-quality building stone with the beds throughout the region. The supplies of granite bed in favourable zones that enables to extract and process it in great volumes.

The Kuryaniv deposit of pyrofilite slates unique in Ukraine provides the demands of Ukraine in this mineral. The beds of phosphoric raw material of the Semygorod ilmenite-apatite deposit in Korosten district make more than 85% of total national supplies.

The region takes the first place in Ukraine by supplies of forest resources. Zhytomyr Region has 1.49 million ha of woods. The wood covered territory makes almost 35%, and in some northern districts of the region they occupy two third area of the land. The stocked timber makes more than 120 million cube m and its average annual growth is 2.6 million cube m.

Due to the advantageous geographical location and ramified network of motor roads and railways the region has a convenient transport communication with Kyiv, Lviv, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Odessa, Minsk, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and also with the countries of Western and Central Europe. The operating length of railways is 1106 km as well as highways of the general use – 8248 km.

With the purpose of investment attracting in priority industries of production, for saving and creation of new working places, introduction of modern technologies and development of foreign economic activity since January 1, 2000 on territories of priority development the regime of investment activity has been introduced; the life term makes 30 years.

The cities of Berdychiv, Korosten, Novograd-Volynsk, and also Volodarsk-Volynsk, Yemilchyn, Korosten, Lugyn, Malyn, Narodychi, Novograd-Volynsk, Ovruch and Olev districts are included in the structure of priority development territories.

The special investment regime is used for the subjects of priority development territories, which develop investment projects to the amount not less: USD 200 thousand – in agriculture, food and textile industry, wood working and making of wood wares, cellulose-paper industry, production of furniture, clothes and fur, health protection and education; USD 300 thousand – in construction; USD 500 thousand – in extractive and chemical industry, making of wares from mineral materials, output of machines and equipment.

The Law of Ukraine "On special regime of investment activity on priority development territories in Zhytomyr Region" foresees granting of tax and custom privileges such as exempt from import duty on materials, raw material, equipment and components for the period of five years and also from the value-added tax on equipment and components imported by the subjects of priority development territories in Ukraine exceptionally for development of investment projects; exempt from tax on development of investment projects for the period of three years. From fourth till sixth year inclusive this tax is paid in size of 50% of the operating rate of taxation; withdrawal of sum of registered investments as money, material and immaterial values from the gross company income; exempt from payment for land for the period of mastering of land plant (not more than 5 years).

The features of economic-geographical location and natural factors as ground-climatic conditions, raw mineral-material, wood and water resources create the favourable conditions for development of the diversified agricultural and industrial production on priority development territories.

The basis of industrial potential is made by food, extractive, chemical, porcelain and earthenware and woodworking industries, machine-building.

The extractive industry of Zhytomyr Region is represented by four enterprises. The SE "Irshan State Mining and Concentrating Integrated Works" conducts extraction and dressing of titanic ore, JSC "Ovruch Mining and Concentrating Integrated Works "Quartzite" and JSC "Mining and Processing Enterprise "Tovkachiv Quartzites" provide demands of national and foreign metallurgical enterprises as well as JSC "Kvartssamotsvity" executes extraction and processing of semi-precious stone.

The machine building and metal-working industry is represented by 15 enterprises. The JSC "Korosten Plant of Chemical Machine-Building", Berdychiv Machine-Building Plant "Progress", JSC "Rail" and JSC "L.M.S." and JSC "Prozhektor" manufacture chemical and cryogenic equipment, machine-tools, electrical engineering devices, apparatus for communication, special technological equipment, spare parts and junctions for cars and agricultural machines.

The chemical industry on priority development territories in the region is represented by following enterprises such as JSC "Yantar", JSC "Biovetfarm" and LLC "Novofarm-Biosynthesis". The greatest payment in industrial production is done by the JSC "YantarЄ. The main products of enterprises include varnishes, paints, drying oil, rosin and forage antibiotics, which has demand in Ukraine and is supplied abroad.

The porcelain and earthenware industry is represented by the Gorodnytsya Porcelain Plant and JSC "Korosten Porcelain Plant", which produce more than 60% of total regional crockery.

10 quarries, 7 crushed stone plants, 5 plants of reinforced concrete wares are functioning on priority development territories.

The food industry is represented by the enterprises of bakery, brewery and soft drink, meat and milk, milling, alcoholic and liqueur-vodka industries. The JSC "Berdychiv-Kholod", JSC "Berdychiv Brewery", LLC "Novograd-Volynsk Meat Processing and Meat Packing Plant", JSC "Ovruch Concentrated Milk Plant" and Lypnyn Spirit Factory are the leading manufacturers.

Among the enterprises of sewing, shoe and leather industries the most great payment is made by JSC «Arsaniya», JSC "Berdychiv Clothes Factory", JSC "Lesya", JSC "Malyn Sewing Factory" and JV "Reef-1".

11 state forestry enterprises manufacture wood wares. The JSC "Novograd-Volynsk" and JSC "Berdychivmebli" are the main manufacturers of furniture. The JSC "Malyn Paper Factory" is the traditional exporter of thin types of technical paper.

The agriculture is the highly developed industry in the region. There are leading industries both the traditional (growing of cereals and grain legumes, sugar beets, production of milk and meat) so flax cultivation and hop-garden. More than 120 agricultural enterprises grows hop and flax and provide 30 and 10% of the national production volumes of these crops respectively. From the beginning of introduction of the special regime of investment activity the Council of priority development territories approved 21 investment projects to the amount of USD 33.8 million investments, created and saved more than two thousand working places. 5 million hryvna is directed in the budgets of all levels.

The food, extractive and light industries, stone working is the main directions of investment attracting. The investment project of developing the Mezhyrechen deposit of ilmenite is being designed. The SE «Irshan Mining and Concentrating Integrated Works» studies this project. USD 1.2 million of investments was attracted; 111 working places were saved; the volume of production made 32.2 million hryvna.

The project of modernization of basic technological equipment and output of the extended gamut of quartzite factions is being developed. The JSC "Ovruch Mining and Concentrating Integrated Works "Quartzite" studies this project. There was mastered USD 1.6 million; there were created and saved 420 working places. The volume of production export made USD 8.1 million.

The project of production of malt is being developed by the LLC "Berdychiv Malt Company". There was attracted USD 364.4 thousand investments; 185 working places were created; the volume of production made 21.7 million hryvna.

The project of arrangement of the production of stone blocks is being developed by the SE "Labrogran" and JSC "Zhytomyrnerudprom". USD 500 thousand of investments was attracted; 31 working places were created; the volume of production made 1.2 million hryvna.

The project of investment attracting on modernization of production of garments is being developed by the JSC "Arsaniya". The volume of attracted investments made USD 400 thousand; 77 working places were created; the volume of production made 2 million hryvna.

The project on modernization of production of sausage and canning foods is being developed by the LLC "Novograd-Volynsk Meat Processing and Meat Packing Plant". 579 working places were saved; the volume of production made 10.8 million hryvna.

Zhytomyr residents see their happy future in the inspired labour for the good of their land.

MFA