Russian AgMin raises grain harvest forecast for this year to 106 mln tonnes
MOSCOW. May 25 (Interfax) - The Russian Agriculture Ministry raised the grain forecast for this year to 106 million tonnes.
"This year, with favorable weather conditions, we are planning to have a good grain harvest - about 106 million tonnes," Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said at a ministry meeting on Monday in Moscow.
Earlier the ministry set the 2016 grain harvest forecast at 104 million tonnes.
In 2015 the harvest amounted to 104.8 million tonnes of grain.
The 2016 forecast was raised thanks to the efforts of Russia's farmers, who had prepared well for the spring sowing season.
"We expect that the prompt, well-coordinated efforts of the federal center, regional authorities and agricultural producers will make it possible to sustain 3% growth in agricultural output," the minister said, adding that agricultural output grew 2.8% year-on-year in January-April 2016.
