September 26 2001, 11:58 APK-Inform

The President of Ukraine supports state regulation of domestic grain market

The President of Ukraine thinks that the government should regulate grain market, but avoid "tough administrative interference into it". Leonid Kuchma announced this on September 25 during a seminar of regional reporters.

According to L. Kuchma, there are no and won't be any administrative measures and bans, they are only regulatory. The President pointed out that the government provided agricultural producers significant tax benefits and thus has a right to control the way saved resources are used.

At the same time the President emphasized that agricultural producers have harvested a large grain crop this year, and the government shouldn't allow sharp price decrease. "We must be good owners, not to allow current situation turning against those, who cultivated this crop", - L. Kuchma said.

Moreover the President criticized grain traders, who, in his words, try to destabilize grain market. "We ask to play according to rules. They should honestly work at the market and begin working for the country", - he pointed out.

"There are game rules, contracts should be processed through exchanges and be registered", - the President said, mentioning that traders go "by other ways and lobby their interests through the Cabinet of Ministers".