OREANDA-NEWS. August 30, 2010. There is no reason for food shortage and price increase. Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said this while opening a meeting of the Government.

"I appeal to all citizens of Ukraine: the state has sufficient stock of buckwheat, grain and other food products to compensate for a slight reduction in the harvest this year, caused by abnormal drought. No reason for boom in prices, much less for shortage of goods on the shelves of stores", emphasized Mykola Azarov.

The Prime Minister has said that on behalf of the Government local authorities together with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy will organize seasonal fairs, at which citizens will have the opportunity to purchase products without intermediaries at market prices, and "will make sure our fertile land provided us with all the food products needed".

At the same time, Mykola Azarov has noted that large retail chains also have every opportunity to provide a full range of food products on the shelves of their supermarkets, and, if necessary, receive prompt assistance from the state.

"I just want to warn: those who intend to use the speculative demand and pick citizens’ pockets, immediately meet with the harsh reaction from the state", concluded the Head of the Government.

Mykola Azarov has noted that in order to avoid similar situations in the future the Government has begun laying the infrastructure foundation of a civilized food market, which will include a minimum of intermediaries between producer and consumer. Thus, in the current year construction of five wholesale markets for food products will be launched. "All this will remove the possibility of speculative demand", said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister has instructed Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Viktor Slauta, Minister of Industrial Policy Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, Economics Minister Vasyl Tsushko, heads of the regions, cities and districts to act decisively in a direction set by the Government.