Russia's Minister of Agriculture Elena Skrynnik said in an interview to the Itogi magazine that government management of domestic grain consumption in the current year worked. According to her the government will not need to import as the harvest of 60.9 million tonnes of grain and carryover of 26.4 million tonnes may satisfy the demand. Further she said that regarding open export may be made "as soon as we learn the situation with the crops." "Our grain has a good quality-price ratio and this is why it is an attractive export product," she said. "Thus, our task is to regain our positions in the world market." This is in line with the statement the week before made by the Russian Grain Association that Russia harvested 70 million tons and should start exports now. Ukraine which had a surplus from the start of harvest still has not figured out that to keep markets it should export. Perhaps the lack of exports from Ukraine are explained by non market motives such as corruption.

UkrAgroConsult