Russia's 2025 grain harvest to be at least 135 mln tonnes - Deputy PM Patrushev

MOSCOW. June 10 (Interfax) - Russia's grain harvest this year may increase to 135 million tonnes.

"According to available estimates, the grain harvest will amount to no less than 135 million tonnes. This is higher than last year," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said during a meeting reviewing the preliminary results of the planting campaign and regions' readiness for the harvest season.

The deputy prime minister's remarks were reported by his press service.

According to Rosstat data, Russia's grain harvest excluding the new regions totaled 125.9 million tonnes in 2024. The Agriculture Ministry estimates the harvest including the new regions at 129.8 million tonnes.

Nearly 20 million hectares of winter crops were planted for this year's harvest, with 93% remaining in good condition, Patrushev said. This figure is higher than last year's, and farmers began spring field work a week earlier than the long-term average, he said. To date, spring sowing has already covered 93% of the planned area, approximately 52 million ha.

"According to the approved forecast structure, this year should see increased acreage for grains, oilseeds and sugar beets," he said. Areas under vegetables and potatoes will expand, he said.

Overall, the planting campaign has entered its final stage without disruptions. "I largely attribute this to systemic measures implemented by the government. They created the foundation for proper field preparation," he said.

Highlighting developments in domestic breeding and incentives for using Russian seeds, Patrushev said that self-sufficiency levels have increased significantly. "I particularly note progress in sunflower and sugar beet seeds. These were crops where we had a serious lag [in domestic seed usage]," he said.

Patrushev also announced the start of Russia's harvest season. Grain harvesting is gradually beginning with farmers in Crimea. Given favorable weather, other southern and North Caucasus regions will soon join the campaign, primarily Dagestan and Krasnodar and Stavropol territories. The Astrakhan region, Kabardino-Balkaria and Kuban are also beginning potato and vegetable harvesting, he said.

"We're entering a critical period directly tied to food security. In this regard, I request that regional leaders verify that local teams have all the necessary resources for smooth harvesting operations. Current conditions suggest we can expect solid yields of key crops," he said.