IKAR in Mass and Industry Media

Russia grain imports to soar in 2010/11-analysts

Reuters

MOSCOW, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Russian grain imports are likely to rise sharply after the country's worst drought in more than a century damaged its harvest, analysts said on Thursday.

"We currently estimate domestic seasonal grain imports at 2.2 million tonnes as a minimal figure," Dmitry Rylko, director of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) told Reuters. "Most of the imports will come from Ukraine and Kazakhstan."

Andrei Sizov Sr., chief executive of SovEcon agricultural analysts, said: "Imports may rise to some 1.5 million tonnes from around 400,000 tonnes this year."

Vedomosti newspaper said on Thursday that Russia could import at least 5 million tonnes of grain this year. It quoted an unnamed source close to the Agricultural Ministry's leadership.

10.09.10

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