Russia’s Minister of Agriculture gave a report on the priorities for agricultural in 2017 which include increasing efficiency of state support, credits for farmers, technical renovation, developing new farm lands, improving rural life, soil cultivation, selection and genetics, and agricultural cooperation.
Russia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture has highlighted the
development of domestic seed production as a priority during a meeting on
improving seed variety testing with 55 representatives from the research organisation
FGBU Gossortkomissiya.
Russian milk production increased by 1.5% in the first
quarter of the year compared to last year and reached 6.41mmt.
Russia’s Minister of Agriculture held a working meeting with
the heads of the major oil and fat enterprises during which he said the oil and
fat industry is one of the most successful in the Russian agro-industrial
complex and that Russia ranks second in the world in terms of export of
sunflower oil.
USDA assume 2017 weather will be closer to average than 2016,
and forecasts Russia’s 2017 grain and pulses production at 110mmt, a seven
percent decrease from the 2016 crop but higher than the previous five-year
average of 98mmt.
Cold weather and snow fall on Wednesday stopped field operations across much of central Russia, forecast show temperatures returning to double figures so crops are unlikely to be affected and planting will resume without any significant delay.
As of April 19, Russian spring sowing stood at 5.5 million hectares, or 10.5% of the forecast with planting taking place in all regions, except for Siberian and Ural federal districts.