October 21, 2011

Russian grain harvest up

Russia, by October 18 had produced by bunker weight 93.4 million tonnes of grain, up from 62.2 million compared to the same date last year but lower from 98.2 million tonnes two years ago, Agriculture Ministry data showed Thursday (Oct 20).

Russia officially expects to harvest 90-92 million tonnes of grain this year, up from 61 million in 2010, when it was hit by a drought, the most severe in decades, but less than the 97 million tonnes reaped in 2009.

Bunker weight is normally 5-7% above the clean weight, obtained after the grain is cleaned and dried. Final crop data is given by clean weight.

Grains had been harvested from 40.40 million hectares, or from 91.6% of the targeted area of 44.1 million hectares.

Wheat and barley harvesting was practically over in most regions and farmers were harvesting essentially corn, rice and oilseeds.

Farmers harvested 57.9 million tonnes of wheat by October 18, up from 41.7 million a year ago and down from 61.8 million two years ago, and 17.3 million tonnes of barley, up from 8.5 million a year ago and down from 18.4 million by October 18, 2009.

The rice crop was 796,400 tonnes, compared to 977,500 tonnes a year ago and corn crop was 3.3 million tonnes, up from 2.3 million, the data showed.

Farmers have also threshed 4.5 million tonnes of sunseeds, compared to 4.3 million a year ago, below 4.7 million threshed by October 18, 2009.

Winter grains for the 2012 crop have been sown on 14.8 million hectares, or 82.4% of the targeted area of 17.99 million hectares, the data showed.

A top weather forecaster and the grain lobby expect the winter grain area to be below the official target.