OREANDA-NEWS. February 08, 2013. The state of grain crops remains stable in Ukraine. 91.5% of the sawn areas are characterized being in good and satisfactory state, 8.5% - being in weak and depleted state. This was informed by Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Prysyazhniuk in the course of briefing held in the House of the Government. However, risks connected with weather conditions remain for now as during the coming 6 weeks already Ukraine’s territory will suffer low temperatures.

Mykola Prysyazhniuk also stressed that according to the preliminary calculations ethe agrarians will spend for spring field works around UAH 38.5 – 39 billion, which is by UAH 1.5 billion more than last year.

“For the purchase of essential material-technical resources agriculture producers will direct over UAH 29 billion, which is by UAH 500 million more than in 2012. Nowadays the agrarians possess UAH 30.5 billion, which makes up 80% of the needed sum and it is more as compared to the previous year approximately by half a billion,” explained Mykola Prysyazhniuk.

For now, according to the forecast of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food the agricultural producers lack around UAH 8 billion in proper current assets. In order to solve the situation at the account of bank loans, there will be borrowed over a half of sum – around UAH 4 billion. Besides, the Agrarian Fund that actively held forward purchase of winter crops is now preparing to hold forward purchase to the tune of UAH 700 million in a period of readying and holding of the spring field campaign.

In addition, according to the Minister, from the middle of February Food Grain Corporation is preparing to participate in forward purchase in the amount of about 2 million tons (with preliminary payment up to 70 % of cost). 

“It means we will receive additional 3 billion hryvnyas for timely and qualitative holding of the spring field campaign,” the Minister explained.