Russian Grain Crop Larger Than Earlier Estimates, Minister Says

August 11, 2000

The Russian agriculture minister said that nation’s grain harvest will be larger than earlier predictions of 65 million tons, ITAR-TASS reported.

Average yields will increase 18%, Alexei Gordeyev told a news conference. With 25% of all seeded areas now harvested, some 25.3 million tons have already been brought in, Gordeyev said. He said Russia would not ask developed countries for food aid, a claim previous Russian officials have sometimes made only to backtrack later.