OREANDA-NEWS. On July 30, 2008 The Government confirmed a grain yield forecast for 2008 despite complicated weather conditions observed recently in Ukraine's western regions, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko stated while opening the Government's meeting. "Despite bad weather conditions observed recently in Ukraine's western regions, Ukraine will receive the forecasted grain yield", the Head of Government emphasized.

As she informed, today 23.4 million tons of grain have been gathered in Ukraine, i.e. 50 percent of the expected yield. "These figures are very optimistic", the Prime Minister noted.

According to the Premier, ten regions have already got past one million boundaries as to grain harvesting; the Luhansk and Cherkasy regions are approaching it.

At the same time, Yulia Tymoshenko expressed hope that on Thursday the Verkhovna Rada will vote amendments and addenda to the Budget, which will enable, in particular, allocating UAH 1.12 billion to the Agrarian Fund for grain purchases with keeping a price for this product. "Since in some regions the purchase prices have already dropped to UAH 980 per ton", the Prime Minister underscored.

As UKRINFORM reported, earlier the Agricultural Policy Ministry forecasted the grain yield for 2008 at the level of 40 million tons, having increased it later to 44 and 47 million tons.