By KYIV. Oct 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine has enough capacity to store grain, but the situation on the domestic market remains tense and will depend directly on the pace of exports, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky said.
“The filling of the elevators is happening quite quickly, which was facilitated by favorable weather factors. In September-October, the weather was dry, favorable for harvesting. If you look at the pace of harvesting late crops – soybeans, sunflowers, corn – it is much faster than last year,” said the deputy minister.
At the same time, he added that the occupancy rate of elevators this season is higher than a year earlier.
According to Vysotsky, the situation on the domestic market is not catastrophic. It is tense and will depend on the pace of exports.
“If the export rate is at least at the current level with a gradual increase of at least 5-10% monthly, but stable, we see that the existing storage capacity, both elevators and temporary storage methods, such as ‘sleeves’, will be sufficient,” he emphasized.
The deputy minister clarified that sleeves are long polymer bags in which up to 200 tonnes of grain can be stored. They are placed in fields, production sites – on any flat surface. Grain sleeves allow storing grain for up to 18 months without loss of quality and subsequently use it both for export and for consumption on the domestic market.
He assured that the government is making every effort to increase the export of Ukrainian agricultural products. As an example, the opening of new checkpoints in Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia regions was given. In addition, according to Vysotsky, the system for passing freight transport will be improved.
“It is also important that the European Union did not continue the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain – wheat, rapeseed, corn and sunflower – to the front-line countries. This is a positive signal, and we see a positive impact on the volumes (of exports). All available ways are at work,” the deputy minister concluded.
