Volodymyr Lytvyn: It is necessary to introduce Modern Scientific-Technical Innovations to the Agricultural Sector of Ukraine
During the working visit to Crimea, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that the former possibilities of the Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, i.e. scientific capacity and land resources, were sufficient to feed the whole country.
V.Lytvyn deems necessary to make an inventory of the former capacities and settle the order in this sector. Since Ukraine provided food supplies for 300 million people in the time of the USSR, it could provide more than 1 billion people with food with the help of modern technologies. "It is a strategic area of development", - he stressed.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deems necessary to conduct reasonable governmental policy in the customs sector.
V.Lytvyn is surprised at the amount of potato, aubergine, pepper, cabbage, let alone meat, imported to the agricultural complex this year. "Why shall we import potato from the Netherlands, if Zhytomyr region alone can supply it to whole Ukraine", - he stated.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine believes that it is a council of exporters of the Ukrainian production, not the council of importers, that shall act under the Government of Ukraine. "On accession to the WTO, we can not prohibit import of foreign goods, however, the customs duties shall allow of the competitive ability of domestic produce", - he stressed.
V.Lytvyn also deems necessary to inspect imported foodstuffs as to the genetically modified goods. "The approach to this matter shall be strict", - he stated.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that as the former Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences, he was well aware of the agricultural complex capacities. "We have enormous idle capacities. However, the aim is usually to receive the biggest profit, neglecting the latest scientific and technical innovations", - he stated.