Ukraine, Russia agree to expand trade in agricultural products
2013-10-15 10:51:32
Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk and his Russian counterpart Nikolay Fyodorov held the 11th meeting of the subcommittee for agroindustrial complex affairs of the Committee for economic cooperation of the Russian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission. The parties discussed a range of urgent issues of bipartite cooperation.
The press service of the Ukrainian agriculture ministry told Ukrinform about this.
"Ukraine and Russia continue cooperation in the agrarian sector within the frames of the earlier reached agreements. In particular, today we have discussed the issue of cooperation on grain, in veterinary and phytosanitary spheres and trade in foodstuffs. For this, we have considered the ways for boosting mutual trade in those products and expansion of its assortment," the Ukrainian Minister noted.
He stressed that one of the most urgent issues of bipartite cooperation is the return of Ukrainian confectionery to the Russian market. "We have discussed the customs issue during exports of Ukrainian sugar to Russia, caramels, as well as the return of Roshen confectionary to the Russian market. In particular, we have asked the Russian Agriculture Ministry to approach the Russian Prime Minister with this issue and to promote its settlement. We understand that this is not the Ministry's competence. However, its leadership assured that we can count on their support in settlement of this issue," the official said.
He also noted that during the meeting, development of bipartite cooperation was discussed in the sectors of cattle-breeding, seed, education and science and in exhibition activities. The Ukrainian Agriculture Minister stressed that this year volumes of agricultural products' export remain great. In total, over eight months, Ukraine exported agricultural products to Russia at USD 1.2 billion.
In turn, the Russian side noted importance of expansion of cooperation with Ukraine in the agrarian sector.
As a result of a meeting, the parties adjusted the main trends of cooperation, which will be submitted to a meeting of the Committee for economic cooperation of the Russian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission.