January 31 2003, 09:13 Interfax-Ukraine

Agriculture ministry opposes to sharp restriction of mineral fertilisers imports to Ukraine

Ministry of Agrarian Policy objects to sharp restriction of imports to Ukraine of mineral fertilisers, especially - of phosphorus and potassium groups, as fertilisers of these groups are not produced in our country in sufficient amounts, Agrarian Policy Minister Serhiy Ryzhuk said, commenting on recent proposal of some fertiliser producers and the union of chemical industry to restrict fertiliser imports by introducing quotas.

Ryzuk said that since the times of Soviet Union there had existed distribution of fertiliser manufacturing geography - Ukraine was primarily responsible for the nitrogen group fertilisers, Russia - for phosphorus ones, Belorussia - for the potassium group.