Russian 2009 grain crop registers decline

Russia's Federal State Statistics Service (FSSS) has issued a preliminary estimate of the 2009 grain crop at 97.04 million tonnes, down 10% from 108 million tonnes in 2008, and above the latest government forecast of 93-95 million.

Wheat output declined by just 3% from last year's record volume to 61.7 million tonnes, which is the third largest production in Russia's history.

Milling wheat output reached a record high of 42.6 million tonnes, compared to 39.5 million tonnes last year due to high quality crop in the European part of Russia and an increase in the spring wheat output in the Urals and Siberia.

Feed wheat output declined by 5.1 million tonnes to 19.1 million tonnes, barley by 5.3 million tonnes, corn by 2.7 million tonnes and oats by 400,000 tonnes.

The decline in the feed grain output may push domestic feed grain prices closer to those of milling grain due to demand from animal and poultry breeders, as well as from exporters.

Russia harvested 6.42 million tonnes of sunflower as opposed to 7.35 million tonnes in 2008. Production of winter and spring rapeseed totalled 667,000 tonnes, and soy at 877,000 tonnes in clean weight, up 27.3% compared to 2008.