Russia: watchdog opposes excise duty on sweetened beverages

Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service believes that a decision to introduce an excise duty on sugar-containing beverages will lead to higher food prices, a lower purchasing power and falling budget revenues, Anna Mirochinenko, director of the service’s chemical and agriculture industries control department, said. “The Federal Antimonopoly Service believes that expanding the list of excisable goods…

Russia: soybean production volumes to be doubled

The Ministry of Agriculture of Russia plans to double soybean production volumes in the country, the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Alexander Tkachev declared. According to him, increasing of the domestic production of the oilseed would break the dependence on imports of low-quality soybeans, including genetically modified oilseed, as well as allow increasing…

Russia: sunflower export tax down

Starting from September 1, Russia is decreasing export tax for sunflower, exported to the non-Customs Union countries. The corresponding decree has already been published on the government’s web-site. Sunflower seed export tax, including material for seeding purposes, will equal 6.5% from the good’s customs value, but no less than EUR 9.75 per 1 MT. Currently…

Ukraine: corn harvesting started

As of August 26, grains and pulses (including corn) had been harvested from 9772 thousand ha (68% of the intended area) compared with 10305 thousand ha as of August 26, 2015. Farmers obtained 38.223 MMT with average yields at 3.91 MT/ha (at the same date in 2015 – 37.027 MMT with average productivity at 3.59…