Minister of Agrarian Policy Vitaliy Koval noted that all state-owned agro-industrial enterprises and agricultural complexes should be privatized as soon as possible. New owners should be found for all state-owned enterprises whose activities duplicate the operations of private businesses.
Koval explains the need for full privatization of non-core property in the agro-industrial complex by the fact that, in most cases, the state is a less effective manager than the private sector. Therefore, it is necessary to privatize those state-owned enterprises that are not necessary to meet the country’s critical needs.
He cited the sale of the Marylivskyi distillery in the Ternopil region as an example of successful privatization. Even though the enterprise had accumulated ₴50M in debt, the privatized company became profitable under new management. Therefore, state-owned elevators, bread-baking factories, and other similar properties should be privatized.
Koval added: “We are selling a liability, and private business is turning it into a profitable asset.”