Marchuk predicted modest 1996 growth of 0.6 percent in industry and 0.2 percent in agriculture after continuous falls in production and living standards since 1989.
Industrial production this year is expected to fall 8.2 percent from 1994 figures and farm production by 2 percent.
In his speech, Marchuk said monthly inflation, which soared to 14.2 percent last month after several months at about five percent, would settle down to an average of 7.5 percent by the end of the year.
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