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Russia to plan to harvest 85 mln tonnes of grains in 2011

Despite the anomaly weather conditions and due to the opportune Governmental support measures, in 2010 the general grain productions in Russia totals 60.3 mln tonnes in clean weight, down 35% compared to the level of 2009, but it is the sufficient volume for the domestic demands satisfaction, stated Elena Skrynnik, the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, on December 23.

According to the Ministry forecasts, as of July 1, 2011, grain stocks are expected at the level of 14 mln tonnes.

The country harvested the record volumes of rice and soybean – over 1.1 mln tonnes and 1.2 mln tonnes, respectively.

Taking into account winter crops sowing areas decrease by 16% (the general sowing areas totaled 15.5 mln ha) compared to the last year level, in 2011 Russian agricultural commodities producers will have to increase spring crops sowing areas till 30 mln ha. Grain production in 2011 is planned to reach the level of 85 mln tonnes.

Ukraine to experience massive sale of farmlands

The farmland sale moratorium may be lifted in Ukraine as soon as early next year, said Presidential Administration Head Sergey Lyovochkin. President Viktor Yanukovych has repeatedly said that this needs to be done within the near future. This implies new investments, new practices. Besides, land is a renewable resource. Experts welcome the news about possible lifting of the farmland sale moratorium. They say, it’s a common practice worldwide, i.e. Ukraine should not be an exception. To lift the moratorium on farmland sales, a law on state land cadastre needs to be passed. Naturally, we predict that following this step Ukraine will experience a redistribution of land ownership.

Ukraine: Khleb Investbud to export 1 mln tonnes of grains

Khleb Investbud Ltd. is to realize the intergovernmental agreements for exporting of 1 mln tonnes of grains from Ukraine, declared Robert Brovdy, the Director of Khleb Investbud Ltd., on December 27.

According to him, the enterprise represents the interest of the state company, and realizes various intergovernmental agreements by instruction of the Government.

R.Brovdy informed that the company will provide supplies of grains, including milling wheat and feed maize, to the range of countries, in particular, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. He specified that the grain cargo, exported in accordance to the intergovernmental agreements, does not come under the general grain export quotas.

R.Brovdy also marked that to date Ukraine provides negotiating process with several countries about conclusion of the corresponding intergovernmental agreements for supplying of grains.

State Food-Grain Corporation of Ukraine to store over 3 mln tonnes of grains

Grain elevators of the State Food-Grain Corporation of Ukraine are able to stock over 3 mln tonnes of grains, declared Alexander Lavrinchik, the General Director of the state enterprise “State Food-Grain Corporation of Ukraine”.

According to A.Lavrinchik, the company has capacities to keep over 3 mln tonnes of grains, but to date the company stores nearly 1 mln tonnes of grains.

Ukraine: Cabinet of Ministers promulgated the decree on prolongation of grain export quotas

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine prolonged the quota regime of grain exports till March 31, 2011, informed the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers No1182, dd. December 6, 2010, published on December 28, 2010.

The Decree makes alternations to the Decree No938, dd. October 6, 2010, “On confirmation of quota volumes for the certain varieties of agricultural products, which exports to be subject to licensing till December 31, 2010, and adoption of the Order of issuance of the licenses for exports of the certain range of agricultural products and quotas distribution”.

The Cabinet of Ministers also increased the quota volumes for wheat exports from 500 thsd tonnes to the level of 1 mln tonnes, and maize – from 2 mln tonnes to 3 mln tonnes. At the same time, the Government excluded seed maize from the quota regime.

According to the renewed order of issuance of licenses for grain exports, the distribution of grain export quotas is realized on the basis of the application, provided to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade by the agent of economic activity during the period of 7 calendar days, instead of 15 calendar days after the official promulgation of the beginning of such application acceptance.

Besides, the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No1046 dd. November 10, 2010, “On introduction of alterations to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine #938 dd. October 4, 2010” became annulled, according to the reporting Decree.

Ukraine able to export another 10 m tons of grain

Abolishment of export quotas earlier than it was expected will give possibility to agricultural enterprises to export the accumulated considerable grain stocks of this year yield. The Economy Ministry made public the draft resolution about prolongation of quotas for grain export since the end of the year till March 31, 2011 and their expansion by 1.5 million tons to 4.2 million tons.The grain export potential in 2010-2011 marketing year (July-June) can be estimated at 15-16 million tons. In July-November, Ukraine exported 5.4 million tons of grain that provides for possibility to export another 10 million tons.

Russia: Ministry of Agriculture offers to zero import duties for barley and feed wheat

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation presented a proposal to zero import duties for grains, in particular for barley and feed wheat, declared Elena Skrynnik, the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, on December 23.

Besides, the Minister marked that in order to stabilize the situation on the grain market, in the nearest future the Ministry will start selling 900 thsd tonnes of grains from the public intervention fund in four regions of the country (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow and Leningrad oblasts).

Kazakhstan plans to cancel grain export licensing

Kazakhstan plans to cancel licensing of grain export operations, declared Akhylbek Kurishbaev, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In accordance with the decree of the Government, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade worked out the project of the Law “On alternation of amendments and additions to the certain legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan concerning the issues of development of the licensing system”, informed the Head of the Ministry.

According to him, the project of the Law provides exclusion of licensing of business activity for grain export selling from the general list of licensed commodities.

From the beginning of 2010/11 MY, Ukraine exported 5.9 mln tonnes of grains

From the beginning of the current MY and as of December 22, 2010, grain exports from Ukraine totaled 5.9 mln tonnes, declared Alexander Demidov, the Director of the Department of plant growing markets of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, on December 23.

According to him, in particular, Ukraine exported 2.4 mln tonnes of wheat, 2.3 mln tonnes of barley and 1.067 mln tonnes of maize.

At the same time, he marked that during 20 days of December the country exported nearly 900 thsd tonnes of grains.

A.Demidov also added that the Government will possibly examine the issue of prolongation or cancellation of the export quotas for grains in January 2011, after clearance of the situation with grain balances on the domestic market.

Russia: grain production in clean weight to total 60.35 mln tonnes

The rates of agricultural production volumes decrease in Russia become slower, stated the monitoring of the social-economic situation in the Russian Federation, published by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation on December 22.

It is announced that in November 2010, agricultural commodities production in the country decreased by 4% compared to the November 2009, according to the preliminary data. The production volumes faced an increase during the third month in a row, excluding the seasonal and calendar factors. In November, the increase totaled 4.5% compared to October, stated the estimation of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

According to data of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, in January-November of 2010, there was slowdown of the increase of agricultural commodities production rates. Thus, production of agricultural commodities volumes totaled 256.9 bln RUR at the current prices in farming enterprises of all the categories in November 2010, and decreased by 4% compared to the same period of the last year. During the period of January-November of 2010, the index decreased by 12.4% (2289.5 bln RUR).

Plant growing production volumes decrease also effected at agricultural commodities production volumes decrease, caused by the summer droughts in the essential part of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

According to data of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, in 2010 grain and leguminous plants were harvested throughout 33.3 mln ha (98.7% of the general harvesting areas, and 78% by 2009). The average yield totaled 19.3 c/ha (23.9 c/ha in 2009), grain production volumes totaled 64.2 mln tonnes, and decreased by 37.7 mln tonnes, or 37% compared to the last year level. Winter and spring wheat production volumes totaled 43.6 mln tonnes, the yield reached the level of 20.3 c/ha.

Grain production volumes in clean weight will possibly total 60.35 mln tonnes in the current year.

Barley, millet, buckwheat production decrease was caused by the yield decrease in the terms of the harvested areas decrease; sunflower, sugar beet and maize fall of production – caused by the yield decrease; rapeseed – caused by harvesting areas decrease.

Rice production volumes increased by 160 thsd tonnes, which was caused by the yield increase and sowing area increase.

Winter grains were sowed throughout 15.5 mln ha, which totals 99.7% to the forecasted sowing areas for the harvest-2011, and 82.4% to the areas, sowed by winter crops last year.

It is also noted that rather unfavorable weather conditions in 2009-2010 negatively effected the financial condition of agricultural producers, which caused the decrease of machinery renewing rates.

Ukraine: Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers regarding export issues of the certain varieties of agricultural products comes into force

The Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No2274-r “Certain issues of exports of several varieties of agricultural commodities” dd. November 29, 2010, came into force. The document was published in the newspaper Uriadovyi Courier dd. December 23, 2010.

According to the Decree, as it was previously announced, the Cabinet of Ministers ordered to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the State Customs Service to coordinate export processes of grains to the CIS countries, Georgia and Macedonia, which have the signed agreements about free trade with Ukraine.

Previously, the Ministry of Economy offered to cancel grain export quotas to the countries, having the signed agreements about free trade with Ukraine, till 2011.