Russia's grain exports estimated at 18m tons this year, official says

Russian Agriculture Ministry estimated Russia’s 2012 grain exports at 16-18 million tonnes under a worst-case scenario, while the harvest forecast was kept at 85 million tonnes of grain, Minister Nikolai Fyodorov said Monday, RIA Novosti reported.

“Our export potential stays at 18-20 million tonnes. But if the weather and harvesting turn unfavorable and disappointing, exports would drop 16-18 million tonnes in 2012,” he said.

Russia has exported almost 500,000 tonnes of grain since July 1.

According to the ministry’s data, 13.7 million tonnes of grain and pulses were harvested and threshed from 5.5 million hectares, or 12% of the entire harvesting area.

Fyodorov said that the country should not focus on the export of grain. “I think this is a reason for pity rather than for pride (the fact that Russia is a large grain exporter). We are happy to export raw materials. We should support exports of processed products, such flour and pasta, rather than grain,” he said adding that the government does not need to support grain exports.