Last year, for the first time since our independence, it was both suspended the decline and increased the number of the livestock. Thus, at the beginning of 2013 in all categories of farms it was almost 5 million heads that is 4% more than in 2012. This result was achieved due to the State support; including assistance to the peasants and farmers. This was announced today during the «Open Government Questions» at Verkhovna Rada by Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.

«Farmers can take the state financial support. For example, last year it was started a special payment of fiscal subsidies to individuals for the maintenance and preservation of young cattle. The State pays 1000 UAH per head. In 2012, about 340 thousand farmers received such aid for the preserved 509 thousand heads of young cattle. This program helped to give farmers financial support and increase livestock,» the Minister said.

According to Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, currently there are 3.4 million heads of cattle at the households. In general, at the beginning of 2013 in all categories of farms it was almost 5 million heads that is 4% more than in 2012. For the first time during the years milk production was increased by 2.7%.

«We observe positive growth trends in the first quarter of this year,» noted the Minister. The Minister has also said that this year the Government introduced another type of support. In particular, there are subsidies to individuals for the grown and sold for the slaughter heavy-weight young cattle and pigs.

Besides, the Government is working out the state support for sheep and beef cattle keep, clean milk, breeding livestock, purchase of heifers etc.

«Over the next two years we plan to implement a national scale investment projects in the livestock within the Economic Development Program for2013-2014.Such projects provide construction and reconstruction of 153 livestock farms. This will increase milk production by 3.5%, sold for slaughter volumes by 4.5% and create 4 thousand jobs,» Mykola Prysyazhnyuk summed up.

Press Service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine