Ukraine is expected to export 27 million tons of grain crops in the 2010-2011 marketing year, Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk has said, the press service of the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry has reported.

"This year, we expect to harvest more than 53 million tons of grain crops. This is one of the highest production figures in the entire history of our state. Under such a level of production, the expected export of grain crops will be about 27 million tons," Prysiazhniuk said.

He said that in 2011, one in five tons of barley, one in eight tons of corn and one in twelve tons of wheat, which will be sold in the world, would be exported from Ukraine.

In general, the minister said that this year, Ukraine is the world's eighth largest exporter of wheat, the third largest exporter of corn and the top exporter of barley.

Prysiazhniuk added that Ukraine's agricultural policy was aimed at steadily increasing the gross production of grain and its exports to foreign markets.

"Ukraine unambiguously favors the extension of cooperation with UN international organizations, world food organizations and grain trading companies that are operating on the world grain market and are interested in buying grain in Ukraine and supports the increase in deliveries to foreign markets," the minister said.

According to the State Statistics Service, grain exports from Ukraine in January-August 2011 grew by 29.4% compared to the same period in 2010, to USD 1.85 billion, or 4.2% of total exports for this period.

Imports of grain crops to Ukraine in the period under review amounted to USD 175.784 million and rose by 50.3% compared to the same period in 2010, and accounted for 0.3% of total imports.

In 2010, exports of Ukrainian grain crops shrank by 30.6%, to USD 2.467 billion (4.8% of total exports), while imports grew by 47.7%, to USD 145.555 million (0.2% of total imports).

Ukrinform