May 9, 2011

Russia ships in 80,900 tonnes of barley in Q1 2011

As compared to the 100 tonnes of barley imported last year, Russia imported 80,900 tonnes of barley in the first quarter of 2011 after a severe drought in 2010, according to official customs data on Friday (May 6).

The Russian Grain Union, a powerful industry lobby, believes that grain imports will be 200,000 tonnes in the whole of the 2010/11 crop year ending on June 30 whereas SovEcon analysts expect imports to reach one million tonnes.

Russia imposed a ban on grain exports from August 15, 2010, to July 1, 2011, to curb rising prices after the worst heat-wave on record.