September 26 2002, 16:43 APK-Inform

Sunseed export duty not likely to be cancelled - just reduced: Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine

Government has not yet produced a final decision concerning the bill about amendments into the law of Ukraine about export duty for seeds of some oilseed crops, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Leonid Kozachenko has said today.

The bill was registered in Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) on September 24, having been brought in by a group of People's Deputies. The legislative initiative was caused by a drop in sunflower seed prices in domestic market.

However, Kozachenko said, the government was most likely to propose reduction of the duty.

Currently in effect is a 17-percent duty for oilseed exports, which brings controversy among oilseed industry and farmers (see our item on the topic of Sept 18). A group of trading companies and public organisations has requested government to review the issue.

Kozachenko had earlier said (September 20) that the government was considering two propositions: to completely cancel the duty and to reduce it from 17 to 7 percent.

But the final decision would anyway be made by Verkhovna Rada, Kozachenko said.