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Ukraine asks parliament to remove some grain import duties

Ukraine’s government has asked the parliament to remove existing import duties for rice, rye, oats, buckwheat and millet to ensure domestic market with sufficient supplies, the parliament website showed on Thursday.

Ukraine is a major grain exporter and its harvest largely exceeds domestic consumption, but the coronavirus pandemic has led some big grain producing countries to consider export restrictions.

Ukraine’s main export competitor Russia has not imposed tough restrictions on grain exports, but has set an export quota at 7 million tonnes for April-June, broadly in line with what the global market expected from the country for that period.

Ukrainian government has said it would not limit the country’s key grain exports despite a jump in foreign demand caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Ukrainian bakers and millers last week asked the government to limit exports of grain and related products to maintain bread prices in the event of the coronavirus spreading.

Ukraine is a major producer of wheat, corn and barley but may face some shortages of other cereals depending on weather conditions. It has imposed import duties for certain commodities aiming to encourage local farmers to grow them.

The current import duties for rice, rye, oats, buckwheat and millet vary from 5% to 20% of custom value.

The Ukrainian economy ministry said on Wednesday grain exports had reached a record 47 million tonnes so far in the 2019/20 season that began last July, up 21% year on year.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk)

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