February 9, 2006

Russia predicts poor 2006 grain harvest

Russian agriculture minister Alexey Gordeyev told parliament Wednesday that the country would face difficulties in harvesting enough grain for this year.

The main reasons for the concern were insufficient planting of winter grains, disrupted by dry weather during the planting campaign, as well as the unusually cold winter, which damaged up to 30 percent of winter grains, he said.

A large proportion of winter grain planted area will have to be replanted with spring grains, which will require considerable spending of funds, not always available to farmers, Gordeyev said.

The ministry will be able to issue its first forecast of the 2006 grain harvest in April.

Russia's 2005 grain harvest was 78.1 million tonnes in clean weight, about the same as in 2004.

Winter grains, which will be harvested in 2006, were planted on 10.8 million hectares, 1.7 percent less than a year ago.