March 25 2003, 17:03

Grain export capacities of Russian ports will more than double in 2005

Grain export capacities of Russian ports by 2005 will have been increased to 15 million tonnes a year from current 7 million tonnes, Russia's First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Anatoly Mikhalyov has informed. He said major grain exporting companies were now constructing five grain export terminals in Russian Black and Azov Sea, Far Eastern and North-Western ports.

Mikhalyov said out of the 7 million tonne export capacity of Russian ports, available at the moment, capacities of deep-water ports took up just 2 million tonnes.

In 2002 Russia exported 12.7 million tonnes of grain.