UPDATE 3: Min: Russia to raise grain output to 120 mln tns by 2020

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VYRUBOVO VILLAGE, Moscow Region, Jul 5 (PRIME) -- Russia plans to increase grain output to 120 million tonnes per year by 2020 from 104.8 million tonnes in 2015, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov said Tuesday at a meeting of the government’s commission for agriculture.

The implementation of the plan will require expansion of the sown area by 4.1 million hectares from 44.4 million hectares in 2015, increase in the use of fertilizers by 1 million tonnes of the active substance from 2.5 million tonnes in 2015 and growth of a number of agricultural vehicles to 30,000 units by 2020 from 16,700 in 2015.

Russia may increase its grain harvest to 130 million tonnes per year and exports to 50 million tonnes per year by 2030, Tkachyov said.

Development of grain and legumes production and expansion of a grain export potential are among the priorities of the Russian agricultural sector.

The ministry expects Russia’s grain harvest to stand at up to 110 million tonnes in 2016 and the amount will allow the country to “retain leadership on the global wheat export market,” Tkachyov said.

“We have harvested the first 5 million tonnes of grain as of today, we have outpaced the previous year twofold and we plan to harvest 106 million tonnes of grain. If the weather is favorable, this figure can rise to 108–110 million tonnes,” Tkachyov said.

According to the ministry’s materials, Russia’s grain harvest is expected to rise to up to 111.5 million tonnes in 2017 from 113 million tonnes in 2018, and to 116 million tonnes in 2019.

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