Russia to export around 10 mln tonnes of grain in 2012 - minister
MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax) - Russia has the potential to export around 10 million tonnes of grain in 2012, Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov told a press conference at the Interfax head office.
The original grain export forecast this year was 10-14 million tonnes, he said.
By October 4, Russia had exported 7.5 million tonnes of grain from the new harvest, President of the Russian Grain Union Arkady Zlochevsky has said. The country exported less than 2.7 million tonnes of grain in September, and it might send 2-2.5 million tonnes of grain abroad in October.
For this agricultural year as a whole (July 2012 to June 2013), the Grain Union anticipates that Russia will export 14-15 million tonnes of grain.
Fyodorov said more than 8 million tonnes of grain had been exported so far.
Commenting on a proposal by Russia and Ukraine to form a Black Sea Grain Council to coordinate operations on the export markets, Fyorodov said he thought this made sense. The Agriculture Ministry and grain unions liaise with their partners. "But the degree of coordination from the point of view of structuring and institutionalizing this work leaves something to be desired," he said. "More tangible institutions are needed to make this work effective," he said.