July 21, 2010

Russia widens drought emergency to more regions

The Russian government has declared a state of emergency in six more crop-producing regions due to the worst drought in at least a decade, bringing the total to 23.

Farmers harvested 17% of grain crops throughout the country, reaping 21 million tonnes, or 715,300 tonnes more than at the same time last year, the Agriculture Ministry said. Yields averaged 2.81 tonnes a hectare (2.4 acres), down from 3.11 tonnes a hectare last year, it said.

Farmers in the Southern federal district harvested 47% of their planted areas, reaping 11.9 million tonnes of grain, it said. Yields averaged 3.66 tonnes a hectare, compared with 3.3 tonnes a hectare last year.

The drought-hit Volga region harvested 1.4 million tonnes of grain, the ministry said. Yields averaged 0.93 tonne a hectare, compared with 1.26 tonnes last year. Regions in central Russia harvested one million tonnes of grain, with yields 29% lower at two tonnes a hectare.

The wheat harvest stands at 15 million tonnes, with yields at 2.89 tonnes a hectare.