After the discussion, Mr Zubkov instructed the concerned parties to sign a framework cooperation agreement between the Agro-Industrial Union of Russia and the Russian Association of Mineral Fertiliser Producers by the end of the working day.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Trade helped to draft the agreement.

The agreement will stipulate volumes of mineral fertiliser consumption by agribusinesses until 2012 under the State Programme for Developing the Agro-Industrial Sector and Regulating Agricultural Produce, Raw Materials and Food Markets in 2008-2012.

The document will also stipulate the relevant principles of economic cooperation between both associations representing the interests of agribusinesses, namely, fertiliser producers, and will unfailingly apply the mandatory price formula.