You're reading: Azarov: Ukraine should create maximum stocks of grain

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said that it is necessary to ensure that the state and the regions, as well as private food companies, create the largest possible stocks of grain in the country.

"It is necessary that the state and the regions, as well as private food companies, create the maximum reserves of grain. There should be no talk about a shortage of grain for food and cattle breeding," he said at a government meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Azarov said there would be a good grain harvest in Ukraine this year.

He said that the country had currently threshed early grain and leguminous crops on more than 50% of the total area under crops and harvested 12 million tonnes of wheat.

"The task for the government and local authorities is to ensure there are the proper conditions for the timely harvesting of grain with minimal losses," he said.

As reported, Ukraine as of July 18, 2011 had threshed 15.6 million tonnes of early grain and leguminous crops from 5.5 million hectares, which was 48% of the area under crops.

The Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry forecasted this year’s grain harvest at 45 million tonnes, while some market experts named figures of 43-44.8 million tonnes.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) downgraded its grain harvest forecast for Ukraine in the 2011/2012 marketing year (July 2011 through June 2012) by 3.4%, from the forecast given in June, to 42.4 million tonnes.