KIEV, July 21 – Private gas producers plan to increase gas production in Ukraine by 1 billion cubic meters within two years if Parliament cuts royalties, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said.

"Two weeks ago I met with key market players that produce around 3 billion cubic meters of gas a year, and they declared their readiness to increase production by 1 billion cubic meters over two years," he said on the Channel 5 TV late on Sunday.