Report: Min to mull wheat duty once exports reach 25 mln tns

MOSCOW, Aug 30 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Agriculture Ministry may ask the government to introduce an export duty on wheat once the volume of supplies this agricultural year reaches 25 million tonnes, Bloomberg reported late Wednesday citing a letter from the National Association of Exporters of Agricultural Products.

The letter was sent to the association’s members after a meeting with the Agriculture Ministry’s representatives on Tuesday. The ministry believes that a sufficient volume of grain will remain for domestic consumption even when exports grow to 25 million tonnes.

Representatives of the association declined to comment on the report to PRIME, while the ministry did not confirm the information provided by Bloomberg.

The ministry plans a meeting with grain exporters to discuss the current situation on September 3.

Minister Dmitry Patrushev said earlier in August that the ministry does not so far see reasons to introduce export duties on wheat.

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