Cereals: Russia lifts its ban in July
Lifting the Russian embargo on grain exports was widely expected by markets. "We will lift the ban on July 1, has announced on Saturday the prime minister, Vladimir Putin. The latter was originally scheduled to expire in late December 2010 but was extended amid fears of another poor harvest.
Earlier this year, the Russian Minister of Agriculture, Elena Skrynnik, and the first Russian deputy prime minister, Viktor Zubkov, had even cast doubt in the minds of investors by suggesting that the ban could be extended until 'at the end of September or early October. "Our main task is to perform efficiently and timely spring planting on 50 million hectares of cereals including at least 30 million hectares, which will give us a harvest of 85 million tons of grain, "explained Elena Skrynnik.The announcement of the lifting of the embargo implies therefore that these objectives will be achieved.
Soulagment waited on wheat prices
That embargo was imposed by the Russian government because of drought and an unprecedented heat wave during summer 2010, which caused a fall crop Russian approximately 60 million tonnes against 95 million tons originally planned. The embargo was intended to ensure supplies to domestic markets. "We must prevent inflation in domestic prices and also save the Russian stock" which might be destroyed in case of lack of food due to excessively high domestic prices for cereals, Vladimir Putin had said during the announcement of measurement.
But the inflation in wheat prices has taken place internationally since Russia is the third largest exporter of wheat.In August 2010, a ton more than the 230 euros on the Paris markets, while a bushel (25 kg) was trading at over $ 7.80, a level not seen since the food crisis of August 2008.
Since then, the tension on the wheat markets has not subsided. Higher prices even accelerated since May, a tonne is worth about 260 euros on the Paris markets and is worth 8.1975 dollars per bushel on U.S. markets. In one year, prices have soared from 96.76% to 77.77% in Paris and Chicago. The meteorological context remains very complicated. The United States, world's largest exporter, are facing a very wet spring in central and northern Iraq that delay planting. The very dry conditions in Europe, especially France, would result in lower production than expected, while in China, a drought affecting the historic center of the country.The return of the Russian market should alleviate investors.
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