IKAR in Mass and Industry Media

Drought threatens Russian winter grain crop-analyst

Reuters

MOSCOW, Aug 4 (Reuters) - A severe drought in many Russian grain-growing regions is threatening the sowing of winter grains for next year's crop, the head of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) analysts said on Wednesday.

"If there are not heavy rains in the next two weeks, the winter sowing is a big question," Dmitry Rylko told Reuters Insider television, adding that some regions worst hit by the drought were approaching an optimal period for the winter sowing.

He estimated this year's Russian grain crop would fall below 70 million tonnes from 97 million last year and exports in the 2010/11 crop year to less than 10 million tonnes from around 22 million.

The Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday cut its official harvest forecast to 70-75 million tonnes.

Rylko also supported a proposal by the Russian unit of the commodity trader Glencore to impose a ban on grain exports to stop rising domestic prices.

10.09.10

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