MOSCOW: Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, started harvesting its 2021 grain crop on Wednesday with bright prospects for another year of large production.

Russia’s southern region of Stavropol began to bring in winter barley, its regional agriculture ministry said in a statement. Winter-wheat harvesting in the Stavropol region is expected to start shortly, with the most active part of the works planned in the first 10 days of July, the ministry said, adding that it sees the region’s 2021 grain crop at 8 million tonnes. Stavropol is one of many regions of Russia where the start of harvesting was delayed by about 10-14 days this year as earlier rains and cool weather delayed spring grain sowing.

However, recent weather has been favourable for the crops, Sovecon, one of the leading agriculture consultancies in Moscow, said on Wednesday.