Creation of the grain pool is considered by investors as restriction for activities on the market, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association Volodymyr Klymenko has said during a TV bridge Ukraine-Russia-Kazakhstan.

"Any restrictions that are introduced undoubtedly have an impact on investors' decision-making. For instance, two largest investors actually suspended projects - construction of two transshipment complexes in grain ports of Ukraine when the government introduced quotas. Today, even talks about the grain pool have a negative influence on investors. Talks that we will jointly trade with what is produced by other people area negative signal for investors," Klymenko said.

He added that Ukraine is not able to export additional volumes of grain, those of potential participant countries in the grain pool. "For now it is not worth speaking that Ukraine with its rolling stock and transshipment in the port may additionally export the other countries' volumes, since figures show lack of own capacities."

According to the UGA, in Ukraine, now grain elevators at 31.7 million tons function, which partially covers current needs of Ukraine in grain storage capacities.

At the same time, according to Klymenko, in order to make allies from competitors and to solve tasks of grain movement within the frames of three and more states, it is necessary to set up a body, which will be the same by its functions and responsibility as the USSR Ministry of Bread Products. "In other words, a body should be set up, which calculates balances on all the countries and which will ensure optimization of goods transportation," he believes.

However, President of the Russian Grain Union Arkady Zlochevsky sees no need in setting up such body. "It is not a secret that export is carried out by commercial structures, both in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The state structure does not occupy a dominating position. The matter concerns, primarily, positioning from the viewpoint of rules set by the state for commercial companies on their territories," he explained.

Zlochevsky also added that in creation the grain pool not three countries will cooperate, but Ukraine and the Eurasian Economic Community.

"Not three countries will cooperate, but Ukraine and EURASEC, since within the frames of relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, this pool will be realized automatically and we enter the unified market and start playing according to unified rules. Competition will remain between Kazakh companies, Russian companies, but interstate competition will disappear. In other words, we will have to come to an agreement with EURASEC and Ukraine. In other words, such a pool and such a union become possible for discussion," the Head of the Russian Grain Union believes.

Ukrinform