Upon reaching grain production of 80 million tons, it is realistic to form in Ukraine a strategic world grain reserve fund under the auspices of the United Nations in the amount of 10 million tons.

This opinion was expressed by President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, First Deputy Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Mykola Bezuhly at the Academy's meeting in Kyiv region, a correspondent of UKRINFORM learned from the Academy.

"Ukraine could form an annual quota of the world grain reserve of over 10 million tons," the scientist said.

According to him, the concept for the establishment and operation of such a fund has been developed by the Academy's scientists together with community organizations working with the UN.

Bezuhly expressed the conviction that Ukraine would be able to produce 80 million tons of grain in 2016-2017.

Analyzing the current state of the domestic agriculture, the academician informed that the Academy is going in the next three to four years to build 20 modern seed plants at its major breeding and genetic centers.

Investment for this will be raised from the rental of property complexes of the agricultural enterprises, which belong to the Academy, the expert said.

According to him, a seed plant has already been built and put into operation in Zaporizhia region, based on the experimental farm of the Oilseeds Institute. "This project was a signal for us to begin more specific cooperation with investors," he said.

The scientist said that the rental of integral property complexes will be carried out on a competitive basis, as established by an appropriate government order.

As reported, Government Order 113 dated February 6, 2012 allowed renting out integral property complexes of the Agriculture Academy's 27 farms.

Ukrinform