The Committee on Agricultural Policy of the Verkhovna Rada proposes to reconsider the increase of UZ tariffs for freight transportation
The People's Deputies also called to change the practice of conducting auctions of JSC UZ for the use of wagons in conditions of artificially created shortage.
The Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy of the VRU decided to appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers in connection with the crisis situation in the export of grain, oilseeds and products of their processing by rail and proposed to review the decision of the Ministry of Infrastructure to raise tariffs for cargo transportation by 70%.
"During the discussion of this issue, the members of the Committee drew attention to the fact that, as of today, there are about 20 million tons of grain and oilseeds from last year's harvest in the controlled territory of Ukraine, which are subject to export. In addition, the new crop of grain and oilseeds in the state is estimated at 65-70 million tons, of which 45-50 million tons are expected to be exported (including processing products). Thus, the total volume for export of this year's harvest, together with last year's leftovers, will be 65-70 million tons," the message reads.
It is also noted that in the conditions of limited export opportunities during the martial law, such volume of agricultural products produced by Ukraine will be exported for the next 32-35 months, and this will negate the cultivation of grain in the following years.
"The prospect of warehouses being overcrowded with grain, the impossibility of selling it, the corresponding lack of funds for the purchase of resources already raises a serious question about the feasibility of sowing for next year's harvest," the Committee added.
Therefore, people's deputies of Ukraine - members of the Committee, supporting the opinion of public agricultural associations, in order to prevent irreparable consequences for the agricultural sector of the economy of Ukraine, offered the Government to consider proposals for resolving the crisis situation regarding the further export of agricultural products.
In particular, the deputies proposed to define a plan to increase the volume of food exports, to limit the volume of trains/wagons delivered through the border crossings of regional branches of JSC UZ in terms of the nomenclature of goods, and to introduce a transparent mechanism for forming and informing all participants of freight transportation regarding the order of crossing the border with loaded wagons.
It is also proposed to change the practice of conducting auctions of JSC UZ for the use of wagons in conditions of an artificially created shortage, to review the decision of the Ministry of Infrastructure to raise UZ tariffs for freight transportation by 70% and to find a compromise option, and in addition, to finance autumn field works.