Russia has exported 18.6 million metric tons of grains so far in the current marketing year, First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said.

Winter-crop losses are forecast at 6.2 percent as winter grains are harvested from 15.1 million hectares (37.3 million acres), Zubkov said in Moscow today. Winter crops were sown on 16.1 million hectares in total, he said. The marketing year started July 1.

Spring sowing is targeted at 30.3 million hectares, or 0.7 percent more than last year, Zubkov said at a meeting of the government’s agriculture commission.

“Taking into account there was a good base founded last year and the government plans to support farmers further, it seems to me the next crop may exceed the one of the last year,” Zubkov said.

Russia harvested 93.9 million tons of grains in 2011 after drying and cleaning, according to preliminary government figures reported yesterday by Moscow-based agricultural researcher SovEcon.



Bloomberg