By Bernama,
Moscow : Russia will harvest more grain this year than in 2007, Itar-Tass news agency quoted Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev as saying on Friday.
“One can say with certainty that we shall take in no less than 85 million tonnes of grain, far more than last year. We shall be able to fully meet our own needs and to maintain export,” Gordeyev said at a meeting with Prime Minster Vladimir Putin.
The area sown to spring crops is 27 million hectares, 57 percent of the total area sown to grain.
“The rates are very good. The area sown to grain is 7 million hectares greater than last year,” Gordeyev said, adding that the sowing season was drawing to an end in Siberia.
The agriculture minister attributed the success of the sowing season largely to the decision to introduce export taxes on mineral fertilizers.
Also, the amount of fuels and lubricants reserved was bigger than last year. He also called for giving thought to the wider use of farm machinery leasing.