Russian grain exports reach Agriculture Ministry estimated potential of 10 mln tonnes - expert
MOSCOW. Oct 30 (Interfax) - Russian grain exports have reached 10 million tonnes since July 1, thereby meeting the Agriculture Ministry's expectations of the country's export potential for the current agricultural year (July 2012 to June 2013), estimates indicate.
"Taking legumes and cereals into account, exports have already surpassed 10 million tonnes," General Director of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies Dmitry Rylko told Interfax.
These figures do not include flour and ready cereals, exports of which are calculated separately, he added.
The Agriculture Ministry has estimated Russia's export potential for this agricultural year at 10 million tonnes. Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov has repeatedly said that he opposes restrictions on grain exports.
With regards to possible problems in the global grain trade due to the superstorm Sandy, which is currently pummeling the U.S. eastern seaboard, Rylko said that "there shouldn't be any special problems for logistics." The grain trade is focused mostly in the south and west of the country, as well as in the Great Lakes area.
"It's possible that ships and barges that were going to ports have been knocked off a bit from the schedule due to the storm, but as a whole I don't see any problems," Rylko said.