Russian demand for grain estimated at 100 mln tonnes in current farm year - Ag Ministry
BARNAUL. July 17 (Interfax) - Russian demand for grain in the current agricultural year (July 2013-June 2014) totals at estimated 100 million tonnes, the head of the Agriculture Ministry's crop farming, chemical usage and crop protection Pyotr Chekmarev, said at the International Food Forum being held in Altai territory on July 17-19.
"Russian demand for grain this year will be up to 100 million tonnes. The total includes 18 million tonnes for food, 12 million tonnes for seed, about 34 million tonnes for feed. In addition, grain reserves must be replenished. This year they are very low - no more than 7.5 million tonnes as of July 1. Usually we have 15 million-20 million tonnes or more," Chekmarev said.
In addition, Russia "needs to export no less than 15 million tonnes of grain in order to solidify its position on the international grain market," he said.
"Therefore, it's still too early to say there will be an oversupply on the market this year," he said.
Moreover, he said, despite the abundance of grain, sugar beets and oil seeds, there are still "problems in supplying product for livestock farming."
