August 17, 2007

Ukraine cattle raisers support government on fixed prices until 2008

Producers of pork, beef, chicken and market eggs in Ukraine will support the government on fixed wholesale factory prices for their products till 2008.

The support follows a memorandum on coordination of actions, signed by the Ukrainian Union of Agricultural Enterprises, Association of Farmers and Private Landowners, Union of Ukraine's Poultry Farmers association, Tvarynprom corporation, Ukrmiaso National association of producers of meat and meat products, Ukrptakhoporm science and production association of poultry industry.

The memorandum --signed on August 14 -- was represented by Agricultural Policy Minister Yurii Melnyk for the government. 

According to the memorandum, producers of animal products undertake to keep wholesale factory prices for their products until the end of 2007.

Also private associations intend to provide 10 percent growth in volumes of meat production in 2008 provided for state support is maintained at a level not lower than of this year, and also not allowing importation of bad products onto Ukraine's territory.

In turn, the government is obliged to control increases of trade mark-up for meat and market eggs, as well as provide assistance to producers in soft lending, regulate export and import of feeder grain in order to stock reserves for 2007/2008 marketing year (July 2007-June 2008).

Pork, beef, chicken and market eggs producers announced earlier their intention to agree with the government on fixed wholesale factory prices for their products till October 1 provided for limited trade mark-up for this produce.