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Agriculture Ministry confirms grain harvest forecast of at least 130 mln tonnes in 2022

First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut stressed that Russian exporters will be able to export the entire planned volume

SOCHI, 27 May. /TASS/. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed its forecast for grain harvest in Russia in 2022 in the amount of at least 130 mln tonnes, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut said on Friday at the All-Russian Grain Forum in Sochi.

"We understand that we must produce at least 130 mln tonnes. There is a consensus forecast among the forum participants on a little over 129 mln tonnes, which is generally close to 130, so here we are moving towards reaching this figure," she said.

She stressed that Russian exporters will be able to export the entire planned volume. "In terms of the territory of the country, we have no problems exporting any large harvest we can get," Lut added.

Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev told the forum earlier that Russia’s grain harvest may notably exceed last year’s level in 2022. The country’s self-sufficiency in grain reached 150% in 2021, he added, noting that "the average harvest stably surpassed 120 mln tonnes over the past five years."

Patrushev added that Russia’s grain exports are expected to surpass 37 mln tonnes during this agriculture year (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022) and over the next agriculture year (July 1, 2022 -June 30, 2023) grain exports are planned at 50 mln tonnes. "More than 35 mln tonnes of grain, including 28.5 mln tonnes of wheat, have already been supplied to foreign markets during this season. We expect grain exports to exceed 37 mln tonnes by the end of this agriculture year, we estimate (Russia’s) foreign trade potential on grain at 50 mln tonnes in the upcoming season," he said.

Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan remain the main importers of Russian grain, according to the minister. "I suggest they will remain purchasers of (Russian) grain,"he noted.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Agriculture Ministry is not considering the issue of removing the export duty on grain, Patrushev noted. "I am officially stating that the issue of removing the export duty on grain is not on the table as of today. I am a supporter of the duty,"he said, adding that on this basis fairly long-term plans may be built for projects on grain processing, including advanced.

According to data provided by the national statistics service Rosstat, Russia’s grain harvest amounted to 121.4 mln tonnes in 2021, and 133.5 mln tonnes in 2020. President Vladimir Putin said earlier that the country’s grain harvest might reach 130 mln tonnes this year.