October 12, 2006

Russia's corn production 23 percent higher

Russia's corn harvest was 23 percent higher this year, rising from 1.7 million tonnes last year to 2.1 million tonnes to date, the agriculture ministry reported late Wednesday (Oct 12). 

However, average corn yield was only 4.05 tonnes a hectare.

Almost 520,600 hectares, or nearly half the corn area, has been harvested.

So far this year, Russia has harvested 81.1 million tonnes of grain in bunker weight, on 40.2 million hectares, which is 93.6 percent of the total area to be harvested.

On the same date last year, grain harvest was 82.1 million tonnes in bunker weight on 41.4 million hectares.

Despite the lower grain harvest, Russia's grain export in the 2005-2006 marketing year, which ended June 30, totaled 12 million tonnes, a 33-percent increase over the 9.1 million tonnes exported in the previous marketing year.