Russia sows grain and leguminous crops on 46.1 million hectares this year, which represents a 2.8% increase over 2012

Mathew Kearney

MOSCOW , July 18, 2013 (Itar-Tass (Russia)) – Grain and leguminous crops have been sown in Russia this year on an area 2.8 percent larger than last year, the Federal Service for State Statistics said on Thursday, July 18.

The area under these crops is 46.1 million hectares, an increase of 1.3 million hectares from last year.

The area under wheat has increased by 0.4 million hectares (+1.4 percent) and under sunflower by 0.7 million hectares (+11.4 percent) to 7.2 million hectares. At the same time, the area under sugar beet decreased by 0.9 million hectares (-20.7 percent), under potato by 2.1 million hectares (-4.4 percent), vegetables by 0.7 million hectares (-1.4 percent).

Agricultural organisations have the largest share of grain and leguminous crops that account for 71.5 percent of all sown areas, sugar beet 88.8 percent and sunflower 66.9 percent.

Russia's grain reserves at agricultural, procurement and processing enterprises stood at 12.8 million tonnes as at July 1, 2013, a decrease of 24.5 percent from the same period of 2012, the Federal Service for State Statistics said.

However, this represents an increase of 15.7 percent from June 1, 2013.

According to Rosstat, as of July 1, 2013, agricultural organisations (excluding small agricultural enterprises) had 6.9 million tonnes of grain, which is 0.7 million tonnes (9.5 percent) less than a year ago.

Grain reserves at procurement and processing enterprises made up 5.9 million tonnes, a decrease of 3.4 percent (36.8 percent).

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