Ukraine’s largest natural gas producer UkrGazVydobuvannya (UGV) plans to boost investments 41% this year in prospecting and production of hydrocarbons, seeking to reverse the country’s recent output decline, the company reported Wednesday.

UGV plans to invest 3.1 billion hryvnias ($614 million) in prospecting and production in 2007, up from 2.2 billion hryvnias invested in 2006, the company said.