June 20, 2012

Russian grain farmers sow 44.4 million hectares

Russia has finalised its grain and legumes planting of 44.4 million hectares (110 million acres), including 29.9 million hectares of spring crops, the Agriculture Ministry said.

That compares with last year's total of 43.5 million hectares, and 29.5 million hectares for spring grains, the ministry said in an e-mailed statement.

Corn sowing rose by 307,000 hectares year-on-year and reached 1.9 million hectares, the ministry said. Oilseed sowing declined one million hectares to 9.4 million hectares, including 6.2 million hectares of sunflower seeds, 1.4 million hectares of soy and 979,000 hectares of rapeseed.

Buckwheat sowing covered about 1.1 million hectares, or 161,000 hectares more than a year earlier, and sugar-beet planting declined 128,100 hectares to 1.1 million hectares, according to the statement.

Farmers started the grain harvest in the southern Krasnodar region, reaping 1,000 hectares of winter barley, the ministry said.