Russian grain exports in 2025-2026 agricultural year may exceed forecast of 53 mln - 55 mln tonnes - Deputy PM Patrushev

MOSCOW. Dec 23 (Interfax) - Russia will export 53 million to 55 million tonnes of grain in the 2025-2026 agricultural year (July-June), but it could be even more, and its harvest this year will amount to 137 million tonnes, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said in an interview with Izvestia which was published on Tuesday.

"This year, Russian farmers have once again given us reason to be proud. Even despite all the weather disasters they faced. In a number of regions, there were return frosts, drought, heavy rains and early snow. Nevertheless, this year's grain harvest should amount to 137 million tonnes in net weight, and it is one of the most significant in modern history. If not for such difficult weather, the harvest would have been several million tonnes more," he said.

Russian grain remains one of the most in-demand commodities on the global market, Patrushev said. "In the 2023-2024 agricultural season, record amounts - more than 70 million tonnes - were sent to foreign partners. Today, we are in a phase of lower world prices. This has also affected export figures. However, since August, the dynamics have gradually been leveling out. Grain exports for the current agricultural season are projected at 53 million to 55 million tonnes, which corresponds to the average values over five years," he said. There is also an understanding that if price conditions change, the level of Russian supplies will increase, he said.

After Rosstat summarizes the results, records for the harvest of pulses, fruit and berries, rapeseed and soybeans will be confirmed, he said.

"By the way, if you recall: the soybean harvest in 2017 was 3.6 million tonnes, and it was produced mainly in the Far East. In the following years, we worked to increase the amounts of this crop. And this year, the soybean harvest will already be more than 8.5 million tonnes, and the geography of regions where it is grown has significantly expanded over this time," he said.

This year's buckwheat harvest is projected within 1 million tonnes, which will fully cover the raw material needs of processing capacities and ensure the domestic market, he said.

"All this is the joint result of the work of the industry and the state," he said. But much still remains to be done, including in confronting unfavorable weather conditions. "We are making efforts so that the level of the influence of weather factors on the results of crop production is less significant. The arsenal of technological capabilities to respond to such challenges should expand every year, adding stability to agriculture," he said.