December 28, 2011
Russian grain exports reach 17 million tonnes
Russia's grain exports totalled 17 million tonnes as of Monday (Dec 26), according to the Agriculture minister, Yelena Skrynnik.
Also, Russia's exports of sunflower oil were at 170,000 tonnes, while sugar exports reached 80,000 tonnes as of Monday, Skrynnik added.
Skrynnik also reiterated that Russian grain exports are expected to be at 25 million tonnes in the current agricultural year, which ends on June 30, 2012.
Russia's harvest of winter crops may reach 40 million tonnes, up 5% on the annual average harvest over the past five years, Skrynnik also said.
Winter crops for the 2012 harvest were sown to 16.1 million hectares with possible losses expected to amount to 6%-7%, according to Skrynnik.
"That is why, if we could yield winter crops on an area of 15.1 million hectares, that would be a normal area for the harvest after passing the winter months," Skrynnik added.