April 8, 2009

Russia 2009 grain harvest seen at 85-90 million tonnes

Russia's grain harvest this year is likely to be 85 million to 90 million metric tonnes compared with 105.5 million tonnes in 2008, agriculture minister Elena Skrynnik said in Moscow late Tuesday (Apr 7) as quoted by the agriculture ministry's press service.

Skrynnik also said the government was preparing a decree to export 2 million tonnes of grain out of the national grain intervention reserve. Earlier the figure of 1.5 million tonnes was quoted by officials, but now it appears the government has increased its plan to export grain from the intervention reserve.

Skrynnik said 8.5 million tonnes of grain had been purchased by the government for the reserve to date. The export of intervention grain was necessary in order to free elevator storage facilities in time for the arrival of newly harvested grain in July.

Russia exported 16.202 million tonnes of grain between July 1, the beginning of the current marketing year, and March 31, and Skrynnik said exports in the whole current marketing year were likely to reach 20 million tonnes.