Ukraine seeks new grain export rules

Lawmakers from two major Ukrainian parliamentary factions proposed that parliament revise the purchase system for grain exports, according to a bill published on Monday. The new system would only allow exports of grain produced by the exporters themselves or bought at special commodity exchanges.
The current purchase regime has no such limitation. Lawmakers said the new rules would allow the government to control domestic and export prices. Ukraine plans to increase its grain harvest to 48.6 million tonnes in 2008 from 29.3 million in 2007 and boost exports to at least 20 million tonnes in 2008/09 from 4 million in 2007/08.