EBRD Supports Ukraine's Membership in Grain Twenty Initiative

KYIV, Ukraine, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The world's largest grain producers should join Grain Twenty initiative, proposed by the French Minister of Agriculture Stéphane Le Foll, and Ukraine prepares to be a part of it. This was discussed during the meeting between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Director for Agribusiness Gilles Mettetal and the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Prysyazhnyuk. Gilles Mettetal expressed support for the initiative to create a Grain Twenty of the world grain producers and Ukraine taking important place in this organization.

In addition to the Grain Twenty initiative the parties also discussed the development of agricultural projects financed by the EBRD in Ukraine. "I am pleased that all the projects that you support in the agricultural sector of Ukraine are successful," said Mykola Prysyazhnyuk. The Ukrainian agriculture minister also commended the expansion of the line of products produced by the businesses, which received loans from the EBRD.

Reportedly, the total volume of EBRD investments in the agricultural business in Ukraine today exceeds USD 1.5 billion. As to further cooperation, the parties agreed to collaborate in the production of grain, poultry and machine-building. The participants also discussed the implementation of joint projects in sugar refining, agricultural leasing, as well as animal husbandry with an emphasis on dairy cattle breeding.

Presently, Ukraine is one of the world's top grain exporters as it takes some of the leading positions on global markets of wheat, barley, and corn. Currently, Ukraine has a 12.9 percent share of the global corn market, 18.5 percent share - on the world barley market, and a 4.5 percent share on the wheat market. Additionally, the Eastern European country is the fourth largest potato producer and fifth largest walnut producer in the world.

Notably, back in August of 2011, Ukraine offered to create the world's grain reserve under the auspices of the United Nations. It was planned that Ukraine would take on the responsibility to form the reserve of 10 to 12 million tons of grain, preserve it and make grain interventions on the market following the respective decisions by the UN.