KIEV, Oct. 12 – The impact of the positive trends in agriculture will smooth the decline of Ukraine's gross domestic product in 2009, according to Valeriy Lytvytsky, the head of the group of advisors to the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.

"Most likely, agricultural production will remain the only sector this year whose dynamics will remain positive. There were doubts about this in August. But the rising trend restarted in September, and in January through September there was a 3.3% growth. This could be complemented with other positive macroeconomic indicators," he told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.