Russia expands cereal crops area

The Ministry of Agriculture of Russia expects an increase in crop production this year. Particularly, an increase in raw materials for the cereal industry.

According to the forecast of the department, the area of the main crops used for the production of cereals will be increased in 2020. An increase includes corn for grain up to 2,7 million hectares (2.6 million hectares in 2019), rice up to 197.4 thousand hectares (194 thousand hectares in 2019), buckwheat up to 858.2 thousand hectares (806.6 thousand hectares in 2019) and oats up to 2.62 million ha (2.61 million hectares in 2019).

“The implementation of the plan will create a good raw material base for the further development of the domestic flour and cereal industry. It will also increase the level of self-sufficiency in the main types of cereals. We expect that this year the sown area in Russia will reach 80.3 million hectares. Together with the use of modern production technologies, an increase in the volume of mineral fertilizers, the use of scientifically based crop rotation and highly productive seeds, an increase in the sown area will help to maintain positive dynamics in crop production and a stable price situation on the food market,” said Dzhambulat Hatuov, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Russia.