Russia does not plan to restrict grain exports despite the million hectares of crops that have been destroyed by the worst drought to hit the country in decades, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.
"[Restrictions] will not be brought in... Exports are very easy to lose and very hard to win," Deputy Minister Alexander Belyayev said.
The Agriculture Ministry plans to keep grain exports at the previous years' level, he said. Russia exported 21.4 tons of grain in 2009.
Belyayev added that Russia will harvest 70-75 million tons of grain this year.
Over 10 million hectares of crops across much of western Russia have been destroyed by drought and wildfires, which were caused by temperatures of up to and over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
NOVOSIBIRSK, August 3 (RIA Novosti)
