MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia’s largest grain producing region, Rostov, has declared a state of agricultural emergency in some drought-hit areas, the local governor said on Tuesday.
The emergency regime, which enables farmers to seek compensation for losses, also serves as a signal for markets on prospects for this year’s harvest.
“This year farmers have to work under extremely unfavourable weather conditions. Today we are introducing a state of emergency in some districts of the region due to drought,” governor Yuri Slyusar wrote on Telegram.
The region had also been hit by spring frosts, though they were less severe than last year, when the Rostov grain harvest fell by more than a fifth owing to adverse weather events. Harvesting in the region is due to start in the second half of June.
This year’s grain harvest in Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, is projected to reach 135 million metric tons, up from last year’s 130 million tons, Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said earlier on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Olga PopovaWriting by Gleb BryanskiEditing by David Goodman)
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