Russia's winter grain crop loss unlikely to exceed 6% after soil tests in March, agricultural forecaster says; revised projection down from February estimate in excess of 6%

Andrew Rogers

LOS ANGELES , March 26, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – Winter grain crop damage in Russia is unlikely to exceed 6% after soil tests in March, compared with an estimate in excess of 6% last month, according to head of the Moscow-based agricultural forecasts department at the Federal Hydrometeorological Center, Anna Strashanya, Bloomberg reported March 23.

Frosts and insufficient snow cover will likely force farmers in six southwestern and southern parts of the country to replant grains in certain fields, Strashanya said.

Nearly 30% of all Russian grains come from four regions in the southwest’s Black Earth and south’s Krasnador and Stavropol, according to government estimates.

Winter grains, such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale composed 35% of plantings last year, and yielded 93.9 million tonnes, according to government estimates.

The primary source of this article is Bloomberg, New York, New York, on March 23, 2012.

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