Buckwheat exports banned until July 1

Ukraine's Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture says the Cabinet of Ministers at an extraordinary meeting adopted a resolution to ban buckwheat exports until July 1, 2020, to protect the domestic market amid the coronavirus outbreak in Ukraine.

"Ban on exports of buckwheat is a temporary measure required to protect the domestic market (we recall that Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan have temporarily closed their borders for buckwheat export)," the ministry's press service said on its website on April 2.

Read alsoExperts: No prerequisites for grain deficit in Ukraine

The Cabinet's resolution introduces a temporary regime for licensing and setting quotas for exports of buckwheat and peeled buckwheat grain (without bran covering). In particular, a zero quota has been set on said goods.

Ukraine will also be negotiating with major producing countries to lift bans to maintain international food security and restore normal international trade conditions.

In addition, the ministry will urge Ukrainian agricultural enterprises to increase the area sown with buckwheat.

As UNIAN reported, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture, Trade Envoy Taras Kachka earlier said the country would not impose limits on the exports of grain, sunflower oil, poultry, and other key export staples during the coronavirus quarantine.

The Cabinet of Ministers on March 25 decided to extend quarantine set in Ukraine over the spread of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus until April 24 and introduced a state of emergency across the country for a month.