Russia’s wheat harvest exceeds 60 million tonnes, 6 million ahead of last year
Russian farmers harvested more than 60 million tonnes of wheat by August 10, exceeding the year-earlier result by 6 million tonnes. Higher yields are strengthening supply, but weak exports and falling domestic prices complicate sales for producers.
Wheat harvest passes 60 million tonnes
Russian farmers had harvested more than 60 million tonnes of wheat from 14.8 million hectares by August 10, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The volume was 6 million tonnes higher than at the same point a year earlier, providing an early indication of abundant supply from one of the world’s key wheat exporters.
The average wheat yield reached 41 centners per hectare, or 4.1 tonnes per hectare. The Krasnodar region and the Bryansk, Kursk and Kaliningrad regions recorded the highest results, at about 60 centners per hectare. The ministry attributed the improvement to modern plant breeding, fertilizers, crop-protection products, digital technologies and other agricultural solutions.
Broader grain campaign runs ahead
Across grains and pulses, farms had threshed 18.6 million hectares and collected more than 72 million tonnes. The campaign was running ahead of the previous season in the Southern, Northwestern, Urals and Siberian federal districts. Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported that the wheat harvest had already passed its halfway point.
The current pace supports expectations for a large national crop. Kommersant reported that the Rusagrotrans analytical centre had raised its forecast for the 2025/2026 season to 142.4 million tonnes of grain, including 91.5 million tonnes of wheat. By comparison, the Agriculture Ministry’s 2025 forecast envisaged 135 million tonnes of grain and about 90 million tonnes of wheat. The final 2025 result reached 135 million tonnes of newly harvested grain in bunker weight, including 93.5 million tonnes of wheat.
Export disruption pressures domestic prices
The stronger harvest does not automatically translate into higher producer revenue. Agricultural-market sources cited by Kommersant said grain exports fell by between 17% and 83% in July following attacks on port infrastructure. Experts did not expect shipments to recover fully in August, creating problems with moving the new crop into foreign markets.
Slower sales contributed to declines in Russian domestic wheat and barley prices of 8% to 14.5% from mid-July. Compared with a year earlier, prices were down by 17.8% to 20.1%. Grain prices had begun to rise by early February 2026, but the arrival of a large harvest and restricted export capacity renewed pressure on the market.
Large supply may weigh on world wheat values
Forecasts cited by Kommersant point to a global grain surplus capable of reducing world prices by $15 to $20 per tonne. Higher Russian yields can mitigate weather-related production risks, but additional supply may intensify competition among exporters and limit price gains.
For Russian producers and traders, port capacity and the pace of export recovery will therefore be as important as the final harvest volume and quality. Importers may benefit from greater availability and lower prices if Russian shipments normalize. If logistics remain constrained, however, more grain will stay on the domestic market, increasing storage and financing pressure during the remainder of the campaign.
