Russia's Agriculture Ministry expects grain harvest to increase in 2026 - agro minister

MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) - Russia's Agriculture Ministry expects the grain harvest to increase in 2026, though everything depends on the weather, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said.

"We expect more, we must do more," Lut told reporters in response to whether this year's harvest would be at last year's level.

Lut recalled that the agricultural sector must boost production 25% by 2030 compared to 2021 in accordance with the presidential decree.

However, much depends on the weather, which has complicated the situation with recurrent frosts, drought, and other adverse events in recent years.

"However, we are learning to manage it," Lut said.

On the impact of heavy snowfall in the south on the state of winter crops, Lut said that everything was fine for now and the situation was being monitored. "Dmitry Nikolayevich [Patrushev, Russia's deputy prime minister] has travelled to the Krasnodar territory and says that 100% of the crops are in good or satisfactory condition. We haven't had that for a while," the minister said.

She also said that there was a possibility the situation could change due to the weather.

According to preliminary data from Rosstat, Russia harvested 139.4 million tonnes of grain in 2025, including 91.4 million tonnes of wheat.