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Russia may impose grain export duties as of April 1

Protective duties to be introduced if grain export exceeds 24-25 million tonnes

MOSCOW, January 31 (Itar-Tass) — Russia may impose grain export duties as of April 1, 2012, the president of the Russian Grain Union, Arkady Zlochevsky, told reporters on Tuesday.

At present, the country’s grain export exceeded 20 million tonnes, he said. By April 1 if the export rates remain unchanged, it will reach 25 million tonnes.

In October 2011 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told a meeting with farmers in southern Russia that the government will introduce protective duties if grain export exceeds 24-25 million tonnes.

“This year the country’s grain export will reach approximately 24-25 million tonnes – after this we will impose certain restrictions in order to not leave the country without bread and to keep grain reserves for the next year,” he said.

“We will be able to export approximately 24-25 million tonnes and after this we will increase export duties and this means that we will thus regulate prices on the domestic market,” Putin said.

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