April 26 2002, 16:34 APK-Inform

Off the field we go, loosing all the way

APK-Inform reported that experts from Ukrainian Agribusiness Development Project revealed figures, which show that majority of Ukrainian farmers, do their sales off the field. 58% respondents proved that they do it this way. In addition there are other options where 47% go through grain broker, and 31% sell later on when prices go up.

Ways of sales depend on the type of business and geographical location of the latter.

Ivano-Frankivsk and Kherson Oblast sell 76% and 68% accordingly off the field, whereas Ivano-Frankivsk, Donetsk, speculate awhile till prices get better 42%, 37%, 38% accordingly. Poltava and Kherson Oblasts show the best intermediary transactions where broker's services were looked for by 60%, 56°о accordingly. Direct export was performed by 8% of Zhytomyr residents.

59% of private farmers prefer to go off the field whereas only 54% restructured collective farms do so. Other private/collective ratios show the following: after harvest season sales 34% vs. 30%, through broker 49% vs. 46%, direct export 6% vs. 3%.