Putin says Russia on top in global wheat sales

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia claims the world crown in wheat sales in global markets, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

Last year, Russia harvested a record crop of 156 million tons of grain, while this year the crop is expected to be more modest, at 143-147 million tons, Putin said at a meeting with heads of regional municipalities in Moscow.

Russian agriculture is now demonstrating "very good, confident rates of development," with the country fully ensuring its own food security, he said.

Last July, Russia refused to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative, complaining that contrary to the program’s aims, most of the food exports go to rich, developed countries instead of poor ones, and that the Russian part of the agreement had not been implemented.