All news

Grain harvest in Russia in 2017 will be at least 100 million tonnes

First deputy minister of agriculture noted that in some regions of the country weather factors have caused a certain risk to the future harvest

VOLGOGRAD, August 16. /TASS/. Grain harvest in Russia will be at least 100 million tonnes in 2017, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Dzhambulat Khatuov told journalists in Volgograd.

"It is already clear that we will harvest at least 100 million tonnes, not less than that. We are now into late harvesting campaign, but at the same time by now judging by the results in the regions that already completed harvesting we have a growth of 500 kilograms (per hectare - TASS) in comparison with the previous year," Khatuov said.

He also noted that in some regions of the country, in the federal districts of Siberia, the Urals, North-West Federal District weather factors have caused a certain risk to the future harvest.

Earlier, Russia’s Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev reported that the grain harvest in Russia in 2017 may reach 103-105 million tonnes, despite the fact that the timing of the harvest shifted by 2 weeks due to unfavorable weather conditions.

No procurement interventions on grain market planned so far

The Russian Ministry of Agriculture does not plan procurement interventions on the grain market yet.

"The current stage does not require interference and application of the intervention tool on behalf of the government. Nevertheless, this tool exists and it will be used in case agricultural producers need protection," Khatuov said.

"A large team of analysts studying the grain market condition is working" now, the official added.

Grain interventions may start in August, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said earlier.

Russia is holding government interventions on purchases and sales of grain since 2001 for stabilization of domestic grain prices.