September 15 2003, 14:46 Interfax

Russia harvested over 55 mln t grain Sept. 15

By September 15 Russian farmers have harvested 55.3 million tonnes of grain, including 25 million tonnes of wheat, Interfax news agency informed.

According to agriculture ministry, grains and pulses to the date have been harvested from 29.5 million hectares, which is close to 70 percent of harvest area projected. Grain yield has averaged 1.87 tonne per hectare against 2.28 tonnes per hectare in the same period last year. The average wheat yield has constituted 1.87 tonnes per hectare too, being now at 0.91 tonne per hectare lower than last year.

According to the State Bread Inspectorate, the quality of grain this year is higher than year ago. By September 11 the Inspectorate had examined 11.3 million tonnes of new crop wheat. Of this amount 39 percent was classified as "strong and valuable" wheat grade. Last year the share of such wheat in total wheat crop was 28 percent. The share of 4th class milling wheat (medium quality grade) is now 32 percent against 33 percent last year.

According to the inspectorate, the best quality performances are shown by the wheat, harvested by farmers of Siberian Federal District, where the share of top quality wheat ("strong and valuable") is 51 percent.

The planting of winter crops have been completed on 6.8 million hectares, which is by 1.8 million hectares less than in mid-September 2002.

According to agriculture ministry, this year's grain crop in Russia must constitute 70 million tonnes. Last year the farmers harvested 86.5 million tonnes of grain.