OREANDA-NEWS. October 20, 2014. Over the past six months an export of Ukrainian agricultural products has increased by 32%, "Russia has refused Ukrainian products, so we have found an opportunity to sell it to the EU and other countries," said the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, during a visit to the joint venture "Nibulon" in Poltava region, in the framework of his working trip.

According to him, overall exports from Ukraine have upped by 19%, while the growth of export of Ukrainian agricultural products has made up 32% over the past six months, despite the fact that "we lost the Russian market”, “We have replaced the Russian markets with the European ones".

For instance, the sale of meat and poultry by-products to Russia reduced by 81%, while exports to other countries increased from 30 to 100%, the PM explained. Exports of sunflower oil to the Russian Federation decreased by 50%, but overall exports grew by 17%, in particular, to India, the Netherlands, Iran, Spain, Italy, Algeria, Malaysia, the UK, "Russia refused Ukrainian products, so we have found other markets. We have discovered an opportunity to sell Ukrainian goods to the European Union and other countries."

Simultaneously, according to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, over the last half-year Ukraine has significantly reduced purchase of foodstuffs from other countries, by 18%.

Meanwhile, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that according to the State Statistics Committee, the volume of agricultural production increased by 16% as compared to the relevant period of last year, while the average grain yield improved by 14%, "Only from grain exports, we are to obtain USD 2 billion by the end of the current year."

The Prime Minister noted that food production is one of the principal locomotives of development of the Ukrainian economy.

"Food security of the entire world depends on Ukraine. We are in a group of the key players. The Government's plans include making Ukraine to capture the global leadership in the food market together with such countries as the United States of America, a number of the EU member states, Canada, and they will be implemented," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Answering journalists’ questions about the competitiveness of Ukrainian products, the Prime Minister explained that Ukraine had already spent the quota for the supply to the European Union of honey, grape juice, wheat, flour, corn, 77 % of a quota for export of meat and by-products had been used, grain cereals - 78%, tomatoes - 72%, “I am expecting a decision of the European Parliament to extend the autonomous trade preferences for Ukrainian products, namely, a duty-free import of Ukrainian products to the EU markets. We are truly competitive, and the figures prove that”.

During the working visit to Poltava region Arseniy Yatsenyuk visited the joint venture "Nibulon" in the village Zhovtneve of Poltava region. The Prime Minister got acquainted with the technology of storage of grains and oilseeds, with the process of automatic assessment of grain quality. The modern equipment in the laboratory enables to carry an analysis of grain in accordance with international standards. The head of the laboratory told that the quality analysis of corn is fully automated and takes up to 15 minutes. A bit longer takes an analysis of wheat quality.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has participated in unloading of a truck with grain in a handling unit. The employees told the Prime Minister that the company is capable to handle over 5 thousand tons of grain per day.

The Prime Minister also visited the Lubny dairy plant. He got acquainted with the work of the processing shop, a bottling shop, the latest technology of milk processing and tasted products made by the company. The Prime Minister talked to the workers of the plant. In the conversation Arseniy Yatsenyuk told that at the beginning of his legal practice he had worked with Chernivtsi-based "Oblmolprom", so he was familiar with the dairy industry.