Thursday 15 October 2020

Russia’s Minister of Agriculture updates Vladimir Putin

Yesterday, Russia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dmitry Patrushev, presented an update to Vladimir Putin, here’s a summary of what he had to say.

The grain harvest is 93% complete and he expects the 2020 grain harvest to exceed 125MMT net weight, including 82MMT of wheat, 7.5MMT more than in 2019.

Other crops include 21.MMT of oilseeds including a record rapeseed harvest of at least 2.5MMT.

Potatoes should be about 22MMT, and vegetables will exceed 14MMT.

Planting of winter crops total area will be over 19MHA, which is half a million hectares more than last year. 

Planting of winter crops has already been completed in 38 regions and is still ongoing in 24 regions.

Farmers have seeds and 3.7MMT of mineral fertilizers, almost 10% percent more than last year.

On trade, the minister reported that the 2020 export benchmark was set at $25bn, and currently exceeded $20bn, while at the same time, work on import substitution continues.

In 2020, despite the pandemic, new markets are open for 18 Russian-made commodity items, and they have the ability to deliver to 160 countries.

They are creating a network of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture in 50 countries, and, following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, the first attachés will take up their duties in Thailand, Tunisia, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico, and Malaysia. 

The minister expects this will contribute to the development of agricultural export potential, and, according to forecasts, the established foreign trade indicators will be met in full this year.

Export restrictions were not mentioned.