SIMFEROPOL, April 22 - Crimean farmers will be unable to grow rice, corn and soybeans if the Ukrainian authorities refuse to resume water supplies from the Dnipro River along the North Crimean canal, Crimea's Minister for Agrarian and Food Policy Nikolai Polyushkin said.

Crimea produces up to 240,000 tons of rice, corn and soybeans a year.

Polyushkin's remarks followed Ukraine's decision to sizably cut water supplies to Crimea via the North Crimean canal about two weeks ago.