The drought in Central Russia may spur inflation, but no earlier than in September-November, Deputy Economic Minister Andrei Klepach said on Monday.
"We should assess the scale of the drought. If the harvest amounts to 80-85 million tonnes, quite an optimistic assessment, it should have no significant impact on inflation. If the harvest is lower, it will not affect the August figures, but will do so from September to November," he told RIA Novosti.
Earlier on Monday, President of the Russian Grain Union Arkady Zlochevsky said that the drought might add from 1.5 to two percentage points to the 2010 annual inflation forecast of six to seven percent.
The Russian Grain Union has reduced its 2010 grain forecast to 81.5-85 million tonnes from 85 million tonnes, leaving its export forecast unchanged at 20 million tonnes, Zlochevsky said. The Agriculture Ministry's forecast remains at 85 million tonnes.
The government has imposed emergency drought measures in 17 Russian regions.
MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti)
