Russian gross weight grain harvest above 145 million tons, says deputy PM

MOSCOW, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, has harvested more than 145 million metric tons of grain in gross weight this year, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, who oversees the Russian agriculture sector, said on Tuesday.

The volume of grain in clean weight could be significantly lower due to bad weather that accompanied the harvesting campaign, Patrushev said in remarks posted on the government's website.

The gross or bunker weight includes impurities and foreign matter such as dust, chaff, small stones and possibly excess moisture. Such weight increases if harvesting takes place in bad weather.

"The harvesting of the new crop is nearing completion. Importantly, throughout the season, despite weather disruptions, the yield of major crops has exceeded last year's levels," Interfax quoted Patrushev as telling a government meeting.

Patrushev said that the clean weight crop forecast of 135 million tons of grain, including 90 million tons of wheat, was on track. Soy and rapeseed crops are expected to hit a record this year, he added.

Patrushev said that sowing of winter grain crops for the 2026 harvest was carried out on the planned 20 million hectares and the agriculture ministry is due to approve a finalised structure for sown areas for next year in December.

Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut told the same meeting that harvesting was completed in 97% of all the seeded area. She added that weather has so far been favourable for the winter sowing campaign.

"The sowing of winter crops is already complete and practically aligns with forecasts. Weather conditions are generally favourable, which allows for expectations of a good harvest," Lut said.

Although drought hit some of Russia's main grain-producing regions in the south this year, crop losses were offset by better-than-expected harvest in central regions and Siberia.