Russian grain exports in January 2015 amounted to 1.7 million tons. This is stated in the materials of the Ministry of agriculture with reference to data of the Federal customs service on 28 January 2015.

In General, the export of grain in the 2014/2015 marketing year (June 2014) amounted to 22.7 million tons, which is 31% more than in the corresponding period last agricultural year (17.3 million tons).

The pace of exports in January exceeded the government's expectations. "We export in January will be the desired 1 million tons, as it should be, on the basis of 28 million tons before the end of the year (from July 1 to July 1)", - was stated earlier in an interview with TASS Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

At the same time the Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged that the government used administrative capacity to suspend shipments of grain for export, which intensified in December due to the ruble devaluation and the increase in the difference between prices abroad and domestic market

The pace of exports in January 2015 were quite high, in spite of administrative barriers in anticipation of the imposition of duties, said TASS, head of the analytical center "Prozerno" Vladimir Petrichenko. "If not for the restrictions, which were unprecedented, it was quite possible to expect higher rates of export", - said the Agency interlocutor. In December 2014 were exported about 3 million tons of grain, he said.

However, the pace of grain exports in February can be reduced to 1 million tons due to the entry into force of the export duty and world prices fall, predicts Petrichenko.

Duty on wheat exports from Russia launched February 1, 2015. The amount of the fee is 15% of the customs value of the lot plus 7.5 euros, but not less than 35 Euro per 1 ton. The government announced this measure in December 2014, to reduce the attractiveness of the sale of Russian grain to foreign markets and stabilize prices of flour and bread in the country.