October 5, 2011

Russia considers reducing grain export tariffs

The Agriculture Ministry of Russia is presently thinking of implementing reduced tariffs on railway transportation of grain, soy, and grain processing goods from Siberia and Russia's Far East to the ports and borders with North Korea, China, and Mongolia, according to the Deputy Agriculture Minister Alexander Chernogorov on Tuesday (Oct 4).

Chernogorov added that surpluses of soy, fish, and other agricultural products should be moved out from the territory of regions in Russia's Far East Federal District, while mineral fertilisers and insecticides, among other items, should be transported to the district to help develop its agriculture sector.

Chernogorov also said that the government was expected to allocate RUB1.8 billion (US$55 million) from the federal budget in 2011 to support the district's agricultural producers. In 2010, the government provided RUB1.5 billion (US$45.8 million) for the same purposes, he said.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Ilya Shestakov said in September that the government planned to introduce a discount tariff on grain transportation by railroad from the Siberian Federal District and the Kurgan Region to the border areas and ports in Russia's Far East, as well as to the ports of the Azov and Black seas basins and borders with Ukraine. In turn, First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said earlier that the government was likely to approve a discount tariff on railroad transportation of grain for export on September 26–27.