Russia harvests 9.5 mln tonnes of grain by July 2; harvest work ahead of last year - AgMin
MOSCOW. July 3 (Interfax) - Russia harvested 9.5 million tonnes of grain through July 2 compared with 1.2 million tonnes by the same date last year, the Agriculture Ministry reported.
Due to hot weather and fast maturation of grain crops, the harvest work began two weeks earlier than last year. Grain and legume crops have been harvested from 2.5 million hectares compared with 265,700 hectares a year earlier. However, crop yields are significantly lower at 38.2 centners/hectare (c/ha), down from 44.2 c/ha on the same date last year.
Wheat has been harvested from 1.6 million hectares (compared with 24,300 hectares one year ago). A total of 6.8 million tonnes has been harvested (89,400 tonnes). The yield is higher for now at 41.2 c/ha (36.8 c/ha).
A total of 1.6 million tonnes of barley has been harvested (1 million tonnes a year ago) from 418,500 hectares (224,900 hectares) for a yield of 39.3 c/ha (44.7 c/ha).