March 31, 2011

Ukraine government extends grain export quotas

The Ukrainian government decided at a meeting on Wednesday (Mar 30) to extend the existing grain export quotas which were initially set to end March 31, to July 1, said the government press service.

Ukraine's existing export quota for corn has been increased by two million tonnes. The government imposed a quota of 2.7 million tonnes on the export of grain from October 19 until December 31, including 500,000 tonnes of wheat, 200,000 tonnes of barley, two million tonnes of corn and 1,000 tonnes each rye and buckwheat.

The grain export quota was extended to the end of March this year and increased by 1.5 million tonnes, including 500,000 tonnes of wheat and one million tonnes of corn.

Ukraine's grain harvest in 2010 fell by 14.8% on the year to 39.23 million tonnes in clean weight because of drought.

The Ukrainian government expects the grain export quotas to be distributed among exporters at open auctions in future. The draft law on the issue has passed its first reading by the parliament, and the second reading is now in progress.