Russia sows record low spring grain acreage

Russian farmers sowed 1.03 million hectares with spring grains as of April 21, just 3.4 percent of the targeted area and down 679,300 hectares from the same date a year ago, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday. The ministry data, obtained by Reuters, showed that the country aims to sow 30.2 million hectares with spring grains, but an analyst said this target may not be reached.
Russia officially plans to harvest 85-90 million tonnes of grain this year, up from 60.9 million tonnes in 2010 when it was hit by the most severe drought in over a century. The country aims to increase the area sown with spring grains from last year's record low to compensate for a decrease in the winter grain area.
But the spring sowing campaign was delayed for about two weeks due to the late onset of spring weather. "This (sowing area) is a record low," said Andrei Sizov Sr., president and chief executive of SovEcon agricultural analysts. "SovEcon forecasts the spring grain sowing area in 2011 to reach 28.5-29.2 million hectares, which is above last year's record low of 28.1 million hectares but lower than the official Agriculture Ministry forecast."
SovEcon said the area on which the winter grains have survived is estimated at 13.7-14.1 million hectares, down from the 15.1 million sown last year. "Therefore the total sowing area for the 2011 crop may be 42.4-43.5 million hectares, which is in line with the 43.2 million hectares sown for the 2010 crop," Sizov said.
The sowing of early spring grains, primarily of spring barley, has been delayed, and therefore the campaign will proceed under less favourable conditions. Some farms, especially in the Volga region, will have to cut the targeted sowing area because of the late spring, he said.
Yields also may turn out to be low because of a shortage of quality seeds in the regions hit by drought last year, primarily in central Russia and in the regions along the Volga, Sizov added. He said the outcome of the spring sowing will largely depend on Siberia and the Urals, where the spring campaign has yet to commence. "Under favourable weather conditions, the sowing area in the Urals and in Siberia may rise," Sizov said.