Ukraine in next two years could give up importing sugar, says Yanukovych

Ukraine in the next one or two years will be able to satisfy domestic demand for sugar with its own products and manage without imports, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has said.

"A program to support the sugar industry in the country will be in effect, and we will try not to import sugar in the next one or two years," he said during the Conversation with the Country television project on Friday.

The head of state intends to instruct Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk to discuss the future program of the sector's development with sugar market operators, including professional public organizations.

The president noted that last year the country imported about 300,000 tonnes of sugar. In addition, parliament is preparing a draft law on importing the same volume of sugar this year.

"The parliament is preparing a draft law, which foresees importing 300,000 tonnes of sugar. This means that we do not plan to increase production - this is very bad," said Yanukovych.

As reported, Ukraine undertook to the World Trade Organization to annually establish quotas on the imports of raw cane sugar at a volume of 260,000 tonnes.

Ukraine in 2010 produced 1.54 million tonnes of beet sugar, with domestic demand being 1.75-1.8 million tonnes per year.

(Source: http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/eco/62088/)