The Russian Flour Millers Association warned that a poor harvest could tighten rye bread supplies across the Russian Federation, according to a report from Interfax.
Speaking for the union, Igor Sviridenko noted that rye has fallen out of favor with state institutions because rye plantings in Russia are about one-tenth of wheat acreage. As a consequence, roughly 59% of the anticipated rye harvest is expected to be grade 3 grain, meaning these grains require sorting during flour production. Overall, about 1.8 million tons of rye are projected to need compression or processing to become usable flour products. [Interfax]
Earlier, the Agriculture Minister Patrushev asserted that fuel supply disruptions would not stop the agricultural sector from completing the harvest. [Ministry of Agriculture]
At the same time, Energy Minister Shulginov described the fuel shortage in the south of the Russian Federation as artificial. He argued that the region’s energy needs are being met from domestic production, and the current pressures stem more from opportunistic actors than from genuine supply gaps. [Ministry of Energy]
On August 22, the Ministry of Energy acknowledged challenges in delivering fuel to the southern regions during the peak tourist season, attributing some of the strain to higher rail traffic as travelers move through the area. [Ministry of Energy]
Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported progress on negotiations to process 1 million tons of grain through Turkey, signaling ongoing effort to manage grain flows amid shifting markets. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]