For August loading grain to rail transport amounted to 1.9 million tons, 15% more than the same period last year. While export shipments for the same month rose more than 40% year-on-year. In September, Russian Railways notes that the average daily loading of grain increased by 15%, while the growth of exports was 55%.

To export the maximum volume of grain being taken "exhaustive measures", for example, claims of shippers in the ports in September, agreed in the amount of 45% higher than the ports were cut in September last year, the company said.

However, the total cost of railway transportation to a large extent depend on the cost of providing cars that are owned by private operators. The latter, taking advantage of the excess demand in a record harvest, establish higher tariffs – 2700 rubles and above in a single grain, according to the Railways stating that fair prices for transportation – 1900-2100 rubles.

Currently, grain Park has 31 thousand cars, which "testifies to its current adequacy to ensure the removal of the harvest of the new agricultural year," — said the press service of Russian Railways.

Earlier, agriculture Minister of Russia Alexander Tkachev, speaking at the plenary session in the state Duma, said the growth of grain yield by 10% compared with the year 2016. Confidence in the results of the year the Minister added the current performance of the harvest – according to Tkachev, with 2/3посевных space already collected 105 million tons of grain in bunker weight."We maintain our conservative forecast in the amount of 110 million tons of grain. This is more annual averages over the last 5 years", — said the Minister.

Tkachev also predicted an increase in grain exports to a record 40 million tons. Given the more optimistic forecasts by industry analysts for high yield (according to some estimates, up to 133 million tons), this figure could be even higher.

In the first eight months of this year were shipped 12.4 million tons, up almost 11% more than the same period in 2016. Accordingly, exports increased by 24%. The main volume is exported through southern ports of the country, notably through Novorossiysk. The share of this harbour in the structure of total exports of grain of over 50%.

Photo: vedomosti.ru