October 29, 2009
United Grain Co, Rusagrotrans partner to boost grain exports
Russia's state grain trader United Grain Company and the country's largest railway grain forwarding operator Rusagrotrans, have concluded a partnership agreement to increase grain exports.
The agreement will see the upgrade of transport and logistics in the grain sector and the development of grain transportation channels.
The two companies also agreed to determine the size of investments in these projects and ways of raising necessary funds, including through the mechanism of state and private partnership.
A minimum investment of RUB100 billion (US$4.8 billion) is needed to increase grain exports to 40 million tonnes annually by 2015, according to Rusagrotrans' analytical centre.
Russia's grain exports amounted to 23 million tonnes in the agricultural season of 2008–09, Agricultural Minister Yelena Skrynnik said earlier.
