Union of Grain Producers asks permission to export grain

The National Union of Grain producers has proposed allowing exports of food grains from the south of Russia, and instead to import feed grain, which there is now a lack of in the country, the President of the Union Pavel Skurikhin told a press conference on Tuesday, RIA Novosti reports.

Russia imposed an embargo on grain exports from August 15. Initially, the ban was supposed to be in force until December 31, 2010, but then it was extended until June 30, 2011.

Skurikhin recalled that at present Russia is suffering from an imbalance of grain distribution between the regions: while the South is experiencing the pressure of surplus food grain (about 10 million tons, according to the government), the drought-affected areas don't have enough feed grain to sustain livestock.