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Russian Agriculture Minister sees over 100 mln-tonne grain harvest for 2016

The minister notes Russia has over 10 mln hectares of abandoned land, so using these areas will make it possible to have a bigger harvest in future

BLAGOVESHCHENSK, August 31. /TASS/. Russia may harvest over 100 mln tonnes of grain this year, the Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev told reporters on Wednesday.

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"It’s difficult to make forecasts and we are not accustomed to that. Still, if nothing changes and weather is favorable, we may gather over 110 mln tonnes (of grain)," the Minister stated.

Russia has over 10 mln hectares of abandoned land, so using these areas will make it possible to have a bigger harvest in future, he said.

"Today, we can say the nationwide record-breaking harvest is 110 mln tonnes of grain, nevertheless we will set a goal of producing 130 mln tonnes by 2030. This is our paramount task," Tkachev stressed.

TASS reported earlier the Russian Ministry of Agriculture had set the 2016 grain harvest outlook at a record-breaking volume of 110 mln tonnes.

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