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Specific missions have included improvements of market operations, 

 post-harvest storage and handling, and market information activities for 

 fruits and vegetables, as well as strengthening of commodity exchanges for 

 grains. 



Follow-up activities will include a project on establishing market 

 information services in Russia and Kazakhstan and marketing seminars in 

 Ukraine. For fiscal year 1993, an expansion is under way which includes a 

 follow up of current activities, plus training in the United States and 

 working with the World Bank. Agricultural marketing survey teams are 

 currently in Russia and will travel to Ukraine and Kazakhstan in April as the 

 program looks to expand its activities there. 



Russian Far East Project— A U.S. Government and private industry 



agribusiness assessment team has returned from the Russian Far East and will 



be making recommendations concerning this region. Its final report is due 

 this week. 



In addition to these six technical assistance programs (funded for a total 

 of $5.5 million dollars) A.I.D is funding three agricultural projects 

 undertaken at the urging of USDA, in the newly independent states for $16 

 million a year. I understand that the witness from Department of State will 

 discuss them. 



