Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has signed amendments to the law on milk and dairy products.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will extend to open joint stock company Myronivsky Hliboproduct (Kyiv region) a loan of USD 50 million for working capital financing.

Conclusions of the EU inspection of Ukrainian enterprises can cause for optimism in the issue of supply of chicken meat and eggs to the EU. The audit showed that inspectors had only minor comments on Ukrainian standards. In the case of positive results of the inspection a similar decision usually takes the Council of Ministers of the European Union on agriculture and the protection of consumer rights – and it is final.

Yesterday the Parliament took an unexpected decision, which make life easier for wine and has worsened the situation in the brewing industry. Parliamentarians have refused to raise the amount of excise tax on wine by increasing the excise tax on beer is almost twice - up to 0,6 UAH / liter. Breweries, which for the most part, finished last year with losses, saying that would be forced to raise prices for their products - the minimum cost of a bottle of beer could reach 6 UAH.

Odesa-based Vitmark-Ukraine Holding, one of the largest Ukrainian juice producers, in the near future could increase prices of its products by 10-15% due to a forecasted rise in production costs by 10-15%.

Foodstuff that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or made using GMOs are to be marked from July 1, 2009.

Producer of the popular vodka Sobieski - French company Belvedere - having financial problems in Ukraine. Because of the conflict, which involved the parent company, Belvedere Ukraine "lost financial support and was forced to reduce advertising activity and trade-marketing promotion", say market participants. The company could not even pay for the advertisement placed earlier with its agency, which has made a judicial decision on the withdrawal from Belvedere Ukraine 10 mln UAH.

One of the largest international foodstuff producers, Nestle Company this year plans to invest UAH 322 million in the development of its business in Ukraine.

France's Bongrain Europe SAS has issued a EUR 2 million credit with 0.5% interest to OJSC Zvenihorod cheese factory in Cherkasy region.

Two of the biggest bread backing companies in Kyiv plan to bake the total of nearly 440 tons of Easter cakes.

U.S. coffee chain Starbucks plans to open a new store in Russian city St. Petersburg in 2009.

Kraft Foods, the global leader in food products, plans to continue expanding its business in Ukraine, and views the economic crisis as an opportunity to increase its market share in this promising market of 46 million citizens, the group’s top executive in Ukraine said.

The government has found a way to reduce the budget’s deficit – by the ways of increase of excise duty on alcoholic drinks and diesel fuel.

Carlsberg Group in Ukraine posted a net loss of UAH 293 million in 2008.

Coca-Cola, the world’s largest beverage company, is close to finalizing the purchase of Vinnytsia-based juice and non-alcoholic beverage producer Vinnifruit.

Fast food chain KFC has said the UK's appetite for cheap food will see it create 9,000 new jobs.

Ukrainian trade and industrial confederation initiates cut in price of licenses for alcohol and tobacco retail sales.

The Colgate-Palmolive Company posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, aided by growth in emerging markets.