Russia unable to export over 25 tonnes of grain this agri-year - Grain Union
MOSCOW. Nov 24 (Interfax) - Russia will not be able to export 25 million tonnes of grain during the agricultural year running from July 2011 to June 2012, head of the Russian Grain Union Arkady Zlochevsky said during a Thursday press conference in Moscow.
The country's export potential runs to 30 million tonnes, Zlochevsky said. The Russian government has vowed to limit exports in the event they reach 24-25 million tonnes. It is now clear that Russia will not reach 25 million export tonnes, he said.
In order to reach that figure, 18 million tonnes would have to be shipped before New Year's, "but that won't happen," Zlochevsky said.
November exports could amount to 2.5 million tonnes of grain, December exports to 1.8-2 million tonnes. So calendar-year exports could come to 17 million tonnes.
There is no pointing counting on grain exports at the start of the next calendar year, as export operations will only pick up in mid-March, and by that time the world market could be absorbing grain from Australia, which is expecting a record harvest, Zlochevsky said. Also, he said, grain exports by Ukraine and Kazakhstan will continue.