UPDATE: Russia to boost grain exports – agriculture minister

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SOCHI, Sep 30 (PRIME) -- Russia plans to increase grain exports, despite President Vladimir Putin’s recommendations not to rush with exports given lower international prices, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov told reporters Friday.

“Of course, the country’s interests, its food goals, feed stuff for animals, seeds come first, while the rest is exported,” he said. “Our balance is (good), we obviously will increase our exports.”

One should restrain grain exports only in extreme cases under force majeure conditions. “But I hope that nothing of that kind will happen in the next 10 years,” he said.

Russia’s grain harvest may amount to 115–116 million tonnes in 2016 and Tkachyov believes that it may reach 150 million tonnes in 10 to 15 years.

Tkachyov also forecasted the Russian grain harvest in 2017 at least flat on the year. “This year’s harvest allows us to be optimistic about the future. The state program envisages the harvest at 107 million tonnes in 2017, but we will try to maintain the result that we’ve reached today or even increase it,” he said.

Russian farmers have already sowed winter crops on 10 million hectares, or 60% of the planned area, while the whole area to be sown amounts to 17 million hectares, a 2% increase on the year, he said.

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