The Russian Agriculture Ministry will consider limiting exports of sunflower seeds and oil after the harvest, Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergei Korolyov said on Thursday.

"We will see how the market is behaving after sunflower and rapeseed harvesting and can make reasonable decisions," Korolyov said, adding the ministry was already discussing export limits.

The Vegetable Oil Producers Union has asked the ministry to increase duties on sunflower seeds to 40 percent from the current 20 percent and levy prohibitive duties on sunflower seed oil exports until the end of 2010, or suspend exports, due to an expected low sunflower harvest this year.

Market participants estimate Russia will harvest 4-6 million tons of sunflower seeds this year, while the country consumes 5.5 million tons per year.

Russia imposed an export ban on wheat in August following a drought this summer that wiped out around a quarter of the nation's crops.

MOSCOW, Sept 9 (RIA Novosti)