Bunker weight grain harvest 74-75 mln tonnes, barn weight 71 mln tonnes - minister
MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax) - Russia will have a bunker weight grain harvest of 74 million-75 million tonnes in 2012 and a barn weight harvest of 71 million tonnes or slightly more, Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov told a press conference at the Interfax head office.
Fyodorov said farmers had brought in 71 million tonnes of grain - 39.2 million tonnes of it wheat - as of October 8. "We're approaching the parameters we want, but it's very hard, the rain is incessant in the Volga and Central regions," Fyodorov said.
"There'll clearly be losses," he said.
The wheat harvest as of October 8 was "in the framework of our forecasts [for 40 million-42 million tonnes made in August]," Fyodorov said. "There's still wheat in the fields, it is being gathered, including in Primorye, but it is very difficult [because of the rains]. I'd like to think it'll reach 40 million tonnes," he said.
Russia harvested 94.2 million tonnes of grain in 2011.
