February 3, 2006

Russia's July-January grain exports up 69 percent
 

Russia's grain exports during the first seven months of the 2005/06 marketing year (July-January) increased 69 percent on the year to 9.3 million tonnes, including flour in grain value, Prime-Tass News Agency reported Thursday, citing an analyst with Russia's Institute of Agricultural Market Studies.

"Volumes of exports have declined in recent months after record-high levels in August to October 2005," Igor Pavensky said, citing preliminary customs statistics.

"If exports stood at 1.2 million tonnes in November and at 1.3 million tonnes in December, then in January exports will drop to 750,000 tonnes," he said.

The decline is due to higher domestic prices, Pavensky said. Another reason for the drop in exports is closure of Azov's seaports, which handle large volumes of exports, due to winter ice conditions, Pavensky said. Storms also hindered loading at the Black sea port of Novorossiisk.

Wheat accounts for the majority of grain and totalled 7.8 million tonnes in July to January, up from 4.8 million in the same period of the 2004/05 marketing year.

Barley exports totalled 1.2 million tonnes compared with 550,000 tonnes a year earlier.

Russia's 2005/06 grain exports are expected to total around 12.4 million tonnes, up from 9.1 million last season, Pavensky said. Wheat exports are expected to reach 10.5 million tonnes, while barley exports are expected to total around 1.5 million tonnes.