September 26 2005, 17:53 APK-Inform

Ukraine: bakers concerned about deficit of milling grain, disproved by grain officials

All-Ukrainian Association of Bakers (VAP) has voiced deep concern about deficit of milling grain in this season and called on the Cabinet of Ministers to "to organise a meeting of bread bakers with grain market participants to agree upon a programme of anti-crisis measures".

"For production of high-quality bread at least 6 to 7 million tonnes of milling grain are required, while, according to operative information … as of September 26, 2005 there were only 2.3 million tonnes available. Therefore, there is a high probability that the Ukrainians will have to eat bread of the post-War period, unless urgent measures are taken to resolve this problem", the association said in a press-release.

However, the Head of State Inspectorate for Quality of Agricultural Products Olexandr Bilyi has said in an interview that speculations about alleged deficit of milling grain in this year are completely out of fact.

"No professionals can make any statements like that", he said.

According to the Inspectorate's data, out of the 5.32 million tonnes of wheat that had arrived at storage facilities as of September 23 there was 55 percent of milling grain, i.e. 2.9 million tonnes. But this is only the part of grain which has been put in elevators, while the rest of it is so far being kept on farms (according to calculations, this should rise to about 15 million tonnes).

"Quality parameters of wheat - that is protein content, humidity, impurities - this year are better than the year before", added the head of inspectorate.

Besides, there are about 1.85 million tonnes of 2004 crop milling wheat available, he added.