UNIAN
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine expects to earn up to UAH 1 billion in investment funds in the agricultural sector through the privatization in 2015 of 180 enterprises that are controlled by the ministry.
This was reported by the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Oleskiy Pavlenko during a panel discussion on the prospects of privatization and development of major state-owned enterprises controlled by the ministry.
"This year we will see the relevant list of 150-180 enterprises to be offered for privatization that we expect will attract up to UAH 1 billion to the industry," Pavlenko said.
He said that the land of these agricultural enterprises would be transferred to the use of their employees free of charge.
"This will be a transfer of land on a free-of-charge basis in favor of former employees, current employees of the company and pensioners. According to our estimates, more than 100,000 current and former employees of agricultural enterprises will finally have land plots," the minister said.
He said that when he assumed office, there were over 570 enterprises in the structure of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, of which only 96 were actually efficient. The vast majority of these state enterprises were unprofitable. According to the minister, in 2014 alone they incurred losses of almost UAH 500 million.
At the same time, the minister expressed confidence that transferring these companies to private ownership would increase their operating efficiency.
Therefore, the ministry intends to put up for privatization all companies controlled by the ministry, except for those that have strategic importance for the country.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 12, Ukrainian government approved the list of state-owned enterprises to be privatized in 2015. The list includes 286 entities, with another 43 entities prohibited for privatization and the sale of which is subject to a decision of the Verkhovna Rada.