RUSSIAN FEDERATION (4 November)
Grain harvest is nearly complete and latest report indicate that the harvest this year estimated at more than 85 million tonnes is similar to the bumper harvest in 2001. Grain harvest this year includes some 47.5 million tonnes of wheat, 19.3 million tonnes of barley and about 1.7 million tonnes of maize. Cereal exports in 2002/03 marketing year are estimated at about 8.5 million tonnes compared with 6.9 million tonnes the previous year. Cereal imports in 2002/03 marketing year are estimated at 1.6 million tonnes, which is similar to last year. Winter grain sowing campaign has begun and similar areas to last year are expected to be sown.
Civil strife and military action in Chechnya continue to disrupt agricultural activities. WFP plans to distribute some 34 011 tonnes of basic food commodities to some 290 500 internally displaced and vulnerable population in Chechnya and Ingushetia over a one-year period starting from January 2003.