MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. Once Russia ramps up rice production to 1.5 mln metric tons, which should happen soon, the country can resume exports of the crop, Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said at the all-Russian congress of agriculturists.
"As you know, only a few of our regions cultivate rice. The situation with the Fyodorovsky Waterworks [in the Krasnodar Region - TASS] set us back, decreasing production volumes. Now, we have ramped up production to volumes higher than before the accident at the Fyodorvsky Waterworks, even as the hydraulic facility itself is not back online. But we fully hope to harvest 1.5 mln metric tons in the near future, and once we hit this number, we can start exporting again. Right now, exports are suspended due to a domestic rice shortage. We need to take care of our own first," the minister said.
Russia harvested 1.2 mln metric tons of rice in 2024, she added.
Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin previously extended the temporary ban on raw rice and rice cereal exports from the country until June 30 of this year.