Agriculture ministry doesn’t mull restrictions on grain exports

MOSCOW, Jan 16 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Agriculture Ministry doesn’t consider measures to restrict grain exports and sees no reasons to increase the grain exports forecast for the 2018–2019 agricultural year, which now stands at 42 million tonnes, a representative of the authority told reporters on Wednesday.

“At present, introduction of restrictive measures on grain exports is not being discussed,” the ministry said.

Business daily Kommersant reported earlier in the day citing sources that the Agriculture Ministry has called on grain exporters to hold down sales in the second half of the agricultural year, in January–June 2019. “The recommendation is of an informal character and aims at containing grain sales in the season in line with a 42 million tonne forecast by Agriculture Ministry,” the daily reported.

According to the ministry, Russia’s grain exports rose 4.7% on the year to 28.8 million tonnes in the first half of the 2018–2019 agricultural year that started on July 1, 2018.

In December 2018, the ministry raised Russia’s grain export forecast for the current agricultural year to 42 million tonnes from 39 million tonnes.

The representative of the ministry said, “After the 2018 grain harvest figure was adjusted to 112.9 million tonnes, the grain exports forecast was increased to 42 million tonnes. The ministry believes that this will allow it to keep the necessary amount of grain to ensure the domestic needs.”

The person also said the ministry sees no grounds to increase the exports forecast at the moment. “It may be revised after the 2019 harvest forecast data is collected.”

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