KIEV, July 30 – The Ukrainian state may allocate about $1.8 billion to the agriculture sector every year after Ukraine joins the World Trade Organization, says Agriculture Minister Yuriy Melnyk.

"Overall state support to the farming-industrial complex after Ukraine joins the WTO may amount to about $1.8 billion a year," the minister said in an interview with the Kontrakty weekly published on Monday.

He said direct state support for agriculture would top $609 million a year.