Ukraine could relax, scrap grain export quotas by spring
KYIV. Jan 26 (Interfax) - Ukraine might soon relax wheat export quotas by 1 million tonnes and core by 1.7 million tonnes, and scrap the quotas altogether after March.
"We're looking at the balance, and we'll probably lift the quotas by 1 million tonnes wheat and 1.7 million tonnes corn," Agrarian Development and Food Minister Mykola Prisyazhniuk told reporters.
"The Economics Ministry is working on a decree, which we should have as early as February or by the end of March. We'll try and put an end to the quotas at the end of March, because the new harvest will then be close," Prisyazhiuk said.
Ukraine imposed quotas on the export of 2.7 million tonnes of grain, including 500,000 tonnes of wheat, 200,000 tonnes of barley, two million tonnes of corn, and 1,000 tonnes of each of rye and buckwheat from October 19 until December 31, 2010.
The government in early December prolonged quotas on grain exports to March 31, 2011 and increased them by 1.5 million tonnes.
Ukraine harvested 41.5 million tonnes of grain (bunker weight) in 2010.