This was announced at the meeting on the progress of the harvesting campaign in Russia under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Minister of agriculture Alexander Tkachev. "The season this year has been a difficult, spring frost, late summer, unfortunately, not without losses, suffered about 200 thousand hectares, the direct damage amounted to 1.5 billion rubles," — said Tkachev.

The Minister added that currently the Ministry is working with the regions and develops a mechanism to support the most affected of them.

However, he said that Russia already Packed in net weight was previously projected 110 million tons of grain and expects to collect by the end of this year to 117 million tons.

"Today we have removed 80% of the area and today the figure of 110 million tons (of grain in net weight - ed), I want to note that perhaps we will come to a greater figure of 116-117 million tons of grain, it is the absolute reality", — said Tkachev.

Russia's agriculture Ministry earlier forecasted that the grain harvest in Russia in 2017 will amount to 110 million tons in net weight. In 2016, Russia received a record harvest of grain for all post-Soviet time – of 120.7 million tons in net weight, including 73.3 million tons of wheat.

Photo: lindsayrussia.com