Two police officers patrol an area at Zaryadye Park near the Kremlin and Red Square after a snowfall in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

VLADIVOSTOK — Russia expects the second-largest grain harvest in history by the end of this year, having reaped more than 151 million tons, including almost 99 million tons of wheat, Russia's Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said on Tuesday.

"The harvest has been collected from almost 98 percent of the areas planting grain and leguminous crops," Patrushev said.

The production of oilseeds, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets and a number of other crops also increased this year

"We understand that in 2023 we will get the second-largest harvest in the history of Russia," he added.

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Patrushev said that this will not only fully meet domestic needs, but also provide an opportunity to send record volumes of grain to foreign partners.

"According to the plans, this is more than 65 million tons for the season," he said.

Patrushev highlighted a significant increase in the production of such socially significant crops as rice and buckwheat. The gross harvest of rice exceeds 1.1 million tons, up by 24 percent from last year.

The yield of 1.6 million tons of Buckwheat marks one of the highest results for the country, the minister added.

In addition, the production of oilseeds, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets and a number of other crops also increased this year.

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Russia recorded the largest harvest of gross grain last year, at 157.676 million tons, up by 29.9 percent from a year earlier.