Russia has exported 17 million tonnes of grain to date, the country's Agriculture Minister, Elena Skrynnik, said with reference to data from the Federal Customs Service (FCS). According to Interfax, Russia has exported 170,000 tonnes of sunflower oil and 80,000 tonnes of sugar to date, she said.

The grain export forecast for the agricultural year is 25 million tonnes, she said.

The export rate is quite high, although it has slowed somewhat over the past two months, Minister Skrynnik said. "However, it is still higher than in previous periods," she said.

The closing year was a milestone for Russian agriculture, she said. Most importantly, Russia fulfilled its Food Security Doctrine target for self-sufficiency in grain, sugar, rapeseed, potato and poultry production. "Over the course of two to three years, Russian production will also fulfill the demand for pork," she said.

This year, the industry managed to overcome the consequences of last year's drought and to significantly increase production of its major crops. The grain harvest in bunker weight totalled 97.8 million tonnes, the sugar beet harvest in bunker weight was 45 million tonnes; rapeseed, 1.1 million tonnes; soya, 1.45 million tonnes, and sunflower, 8.0 million tonnes, Ms Skrynnik said.

"Production of an important food crop, corn, totalled 6.0 million tonnes," she said. "Buckwheat and barley production volumes were restored, which are necessary for providing for domestic needs," she said.

The positive livestock dynamic was also maintained. Cattle and poultry production for slaughter totalled 11 million tonnes, which is 460,000 tonnes more than in 2010. "The highest growth rate in poultry production was 11.5 per cent, and in pork production, 4.8 per cent," Ms Skrynnik said.

In addition, quality changes were made in meat and milk production. "The composition of the meat and dairy cattle stock is improving. Over the past two years, the share of pedigree stock reached 50 per cent of beef herds. In dairy, it has grown to 12.3 per cent – almost double its 2005 value," she said.

For the first time in five years, meat livestock has become one of the most dynamically developing industries, reaching 44 per cent growth, Ms Skrynnik said. Growth in poultry production doubled, and pork production was up by 50 per cent. Over the past five years, over 3,000 livestock facilities have been constructed or reconstructed. Investments in the new facilities totaled 550 billion rubles, she said.