Ukraine: Alternative fuel sources presented to decrease price of veggies

Ministry of Agrarian Policy will present a program of alternative fuel sources that should reduce the cost of Ukrainian vegetables. "Straw combustion, fuel briquettes and coal could be alternative sources of heating our greenhouses,"- said Minister of agriculture and agri-food industry Igor Shvayka.

According to the official, high prices of Ukrainian vegetables are directly related to energy prices. "A solution to the problem is a loan program for transition to alternative energy sources of heating our greenhouses. The state support provided to vegetable growers in Turkey and Israel can’t be compared to that one in Ukraine. Thus Ukranian tomatoes cost 22 Ukrainian hryvnias per kilo ($1.85), while Turkish – 19 ($1.59)," - said the official. "This is the price of tomatoes when the price of natural gas is $320 per thousand cubic meters. Gas for $500 will objectively affect the price of tomatoes. And the only solution to the problem is technical reequipment," - said the Minister.

On 3rd April, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev has announced the cancellation of the zero customs export duty on gas for Ukraine and therefore the price of Russian natural gas for Ukraine increased by $100 to $485.

Source: gordonua.com