Russia has clamped a ban on grain exports until January 1, 2011. Any discussion of repealing the ban will take place only after the 2011 harvest, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a Government Presidium meeting on Thursday.

The embargo on grain exports has been in force since August 15. The extreme measure was forced by a drought in various Russian regions. About a quarter of the harvest has failed in 35 regions.

The ban was to run through December 31, 2010. But on September 1, it emerged that the government had partially canceled the embargo on grain exports, allowing exports under international contracts signed by the Russian Federation, as humanitarian aid and in some other cases.