Ukraine will cut agricultural product exports by 10.6% in 2013, says expert
Kyiv, November 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will reduce exports of agricultural products by 10.6% in 2013, to $16 billion, Head of the Department on Agroindustrial Complex of SC Derzhzovnishinform Oleksandr Odosiy said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
"According to our forecasts, by the end of this year Ukrainian will be able to export goods from the 1-24 groups of the Ukrainian classification of goods for foreign economic operations – food stuff and agricultural products – worth $16 billion. This is of course less than last year," he said.
He said that the indicator is not bad for Ukraine, and the reduction is linked to the fact that in 2012 there was a high pace of product exports and the higher prices of some groups of goods. According to information given at the press conference, in 2012 Ukraine exported agricultural products worth $17.9 billion.
"Imports will grow to $7.7 billion, and this is $200 million up on last year," Odosiy said. He explained the indicator by growth in prices of imported products.
The expert said that after the signing of the free trade area agreement with the EU exports of goods with high added value would grow, as it is expected that foreign investments in the agrarian sector will expand.
Odosiy said that despite small quotas for certain types of products for exports to the EU, it is still a chance for Ukraine to increase income in foreign currency. After the signing of the free trade area agreement with the EU, competition on the domestic market will increase, as European goods will appear on the market, although this will be an incentive to increase quality of Ukrainian products.
As reported, referring to the State Statistics Service, production of agricultural products in Ukraine rose by 3% in January-September 2013 year-over-year.