South Korea is likely to lift an eight-year ban on Canadian beef imports by end June and plans sweeping changes in its grain growing and import policies in the face of rising global food prices, the country's farm minister said.

Yoo Jeong-bok, South Korea's food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister and current Asia general meeting chairman of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said rising food prices globally have prompted the country to eye grain operations abroad and move to encourage farmers to grow more corn and wheat while easing rice import policies.

The country is also working with Canada to solve a dispute on beef imports banned over mad cow disease concerns in 2003 as South Korea recovers from an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease late last year that cut domestic supplies of meat and drove up prices.

"A decision (on allowing Canadian beef imports) is likely to be made through bilateral talks instead of a WTO panel ruling. The decision is seen coming this quarter," Yoo, 54, a former member of the parliament, told Reuters in an interview. (Reuters)