Ukraine: Export grain quotas for 8 companies to be re-distributed

The commission for the distribution of Ukrainian-produced farm produce export quotas has decided to re-distribute export grain quotas for eight companies that have failed to confirm the availability of grain, according to Volodymyr Klymenko, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association and the commission member, Interfax News Agency reported February 27.

He said that the decision was made at a meeting of the commission held on February 2. "The quotas for those companies, which failed to confirm the availability of grain when the Agriculture Ministry conducted checks, will be re-distributed," he said. Around 66,000 tonnes of barley will be re- distributed. Earlier, the commission was to consider the distribution of quotas for companies that had failed to confirm the authenticity of warehouse receipts and the availability of grain.

At its December 28, 2006, meeting, the commission distributed wheat export quotas for the current marketing year (from July 2006 to June 2007) among 11 companies, while quotas for the export of barley were split among 34 companies. However, following checks, inspectors found that some companies that applied for export licenses provided incorrect information about the availability of the grain.

The Economy Ministry said that a total of 31 export license for 516,000 tonnes of barley out of 600,000-tonne quota have been issued. Ukraine on December 14 introduced a 1.106-million-tonne grain export quota until the end of the current marketing year, which will end in June 2007. Quotas for the export of barley stand at 600,000 tonnes. The Agriculture Ministry says that 8 million tonnes of grain may be exported in the current marketing year. In 2006, Ukraine harvested 34.3 million tonnes of grain, which was 9.9% less than in 2005.