BIROBIDZHAN, April 24. /ITAR-TASS/. The limitation of water supply to Crimea by Kiev may cause partial or total crop loss at an area of up to 120,000 hectares on the peninsula, and the sum of lost profit may reach 5 billion rubles, Russian Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov told reporters.

“There may by partial or total loss of crops under irrigation at an area of up to 120,000 hectares,” he said.

According to Fyodorov, the Russian Agriculture Ministry, Finance Ministry and Ministry for Crimea Development have been charged with the task of considering the possibility of compensation for the potential losses of agricultural producers. “According to our estimates, this loss, taking into account the profit, if they have zero output, may reach 5 billion rubles,” the agriculture minister said.