Russian grain exports could hit 50 mln tonnes this agricultural year
MOSCOW. March 1 (Interfax) - Grain exports from Russia this agricultural year - July 2017-June 2018 - could reach 50 million tonnes, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev told journalists.
This forecast was made after the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) adjusted figures for the 2017 grain harvest. The real Russian grain harvest was 135.4 million tonnes, up from an earlier reported 134.1 million tonnes.
"Exports could be 50 million tonnes; this is absolutely possible but yet to be confirmed," the minister said.
The Russian Agriculture Ministry earlier quoted Tkachev as saying that as between July 1 and February 28, Russia had exported 34.6 million tonnes of grain, 41% more than in the same period of the previous farming year. "This sort of growth will enable us to maintain our status as the world's biggest grain exporter," he said.
The AgMin is currently forecasting grain exports will be 45 million-47 million tonnes in the current farming year, compared to 35.5 million tonnes in the last one.