June 26, 2012

United Grain sees grain export at 1.5 million tonnes

In the season that ends on June 30, the state grain trader, United Grain Co., sees its grain exports growing to as much as 1.5 million tonnes.

The season starting on July 1 may not be as favourable as 2011 in terms of weather conditions and high grain price volatility may also limit shipments, Irina Skrynnik, the company's spokeswoman, said by phone from St. Petersburg. Shipments last season were hampered after Russia had the worst drought in at least 50 years in 2010, which prompted the government to stop grain exports from August 15, 2010 through June 2011.

Russia's grain harvest reached 94 million tonnes last year, including 56 million tonnes of wheat, according to the state statistics service. The country's grain exports were at record levels this year, reaching about 26 million tonnes by June 7, according to agriculture ministry data.