Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday called on government officials to boost the development of rural areas, according to Xinhua.

"We need to build roads and houses in villages, invest more in rural infrastructure," he said during a meeting with Ukrainian governors and government representatives in Kiev region.

Stressing the importance of developing both large-scale and family farming, Yanukovych pledged to provide more state support for those engaged in agriculture.

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The president instructed the ministry of regional development, construction and housing and communal services to work out a state program to boost vitality in rural areas.

The development of countryside will create new jobs and spur Ukraine's export opportunities, Yanukovych said.

Ukraine has experienced an agricultural boom in recent years, becoming one of world's leading grain exporters. However, some rural areas are still depressed due to the outflow of population to urban sites. In the past two decades, around 640 villages in the East European country have become depopulated.