MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/.  Russia can repeat the record grain harvest of this year in the future, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said in an interview aired by the Rossiya-24 TV news channel on Wednesday.

"In terms of grain production, I think that we are to meet the challenge. I am sure that we have the potential to repeat the record and probably even increase it in the future," he said.

According to the Agriculture Ministry’s data, as of December 5, 2017 Russia had produced 139.5 mln tonnes (124.6 mln tonnes in 2016) with an average yield of 30.4 centners per hectare (27.2 centners per hectare in 2016), while wheat production amounted to 88 mln tonnes (75.9 mln tonnes in 2016) with an average yield of 32.2 centners per hectare (27.9 centners per hectare in 2016).

Russia’s grain export is on track to surpass last year’s results, the minister said. "Wheat (export will total - TASS) 35 mln tonnes," he said.

The Agriculture Ministry said earlier that the country’s grain export potential is expected to be 53.5 mln tonnes in 2017-2018. The ministry forecasts grain exports in 2017-2018 agricultural year at 45 mln tonnes.