IKAR in Mass and Industry Media

Russia may export 15 mln T grain in 2008/09-AgMin

Reuters

MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) - Russia may export 15 million tonnes of grain in the 2008/09 crop year starting in July, Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev said on Thursday.

"If we manage to harvest 85 million tonnes (of grain) this year, our exportable surplus could amount to 15 million tonnes," Gordeyev told a news briefing.

The Russian Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) estimated that Russian grain exports had exceeded 13 million tonnes, including flour in grain equivalent, in the 2007/08 crop year, before they were curtailed by prohibitive export tariffs.

Russia officially expects to harvest around 85 million tonnes of grain this year, which would be the second-largest outcome since 2002, when the country harvested 86.6 million tonnes. Last year it harvested 81.8 million tonnes.

Some analysts believe the grain crop may be higher and even reach 90 million tonnes due to a rise in the sowing area, lower than average winter-kill losses and increased use of fertilisers. They say exports could rise to 17 million tonnes.

Russia's sowing area for the 2008 grain crop is expected to rise by 1.9 million hectares to 46.9 million ha, including 31 million ha to be sown with spring grains. Russia has recently set export tariffs on mineral fertilisers to stimulate increased use by domestic farmers.

12.05.08

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