May 9, 2012

Ukraine's Ministry of Agrarian Policy sees no food security threat

Despite a rather harsh weather during the planting season for the 2012 crop, the stability of Ukraine's food security will be provided and the obligations on grain exports will be achieved, affirmed Nikolai Prysiazhnyuk, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

The weather conditions of the agricultural season-2011/12 were abnormal for Ukrainian agrarians. Thus, the dry conditions of the autumn gave way to the severe frosts in February, and to date there is a rapid warming. However, spring planting works is near completion in accordance with the plans.

To date agrarians planted spring crops throughout nearly 6.8 million ha from the planned areas of 8.5 million ha, the planting campaign is realised in accordance to the forecast. The Ministry does not see any threat for the food security both in the form of reduced exports and non-fulfillment of the export obligations, because the country still has a fairly large carry-over stocks, said Prysiazhnyuk.