25 Mar 2011 12:31

Russia will not lift grain embargo before late Sept - minister

MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) - The Russian grain export ban will not be lifted before late September - October 2011, Russian Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik said.

"Currently our key task is to conduct an efficient and timely spring sowing campaign on a 50 million hectare area, including at least 30 million hectares of grain, which will allow to harvest 85 million tonnes of grain," she said at a meeting with the foreign media in Moscow on Friday.

"We will calculate the harvest volumes in late September-October and only then shall we be able to decide whether to extend or lift the grain export embargo," Skrynnik said.