Russia can export 32 million tons of grain this agricultural year, despite the export duty Russia can export 32 million tons of grain this agricultural year (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016), despite the export duty on wheat. According to TASS, the Ministry of Agriculture estimates the export potential of Russia at 30 million tons.

"As of December, about 21.5 million tons were exported, according to our calculations. And we can export about 31.5 million tons this year, up to 32 million tons even," says Igor Pavensky, deputy director of the Strategic Marketing Department of Rusagrotrans (the largest railway carrier of agricultural products of the Russian Federation).

The head of the Russian Grain Union (RZS) Arkady Zlochevsky believes that, given the good grain harvest this year (104.3 million tons), exports will exceed the forecast of the Ministry of Agriculture. "So we can safely export 32 million tons," he is sure. "I have a forecast that we will export 23.5 million tons (of wheat). And the total grain is 32-33 million tons . This is more than last year," Vladimir Petrichenko, CEO of the analytical center "ProSerno", adheres to a similar position.

The new, introduced for a year, duty on wheat exports from Russia began to take effect on July 1, 2015. The reason for this was the growing activity of exporters, who increased the sale of grain in foreign markets for foreign currency and thus sought to benefit from the sharp fall of the ruble. The duty rate is denominated in rubles, and the amount is 50% of the customs value minus 5.5 thousand rubles per 1 ton, but not less than 50 rubles per 1 ton, according to the government decree.

Industry representatives have repeatedly asked the government to cancel it.