Russia Produces 208,700 MT VegOil in January

KIEV - Mar 14/06 - APK -- Crude vegetable oil output in Russia totaled 208,700 metric tons (MT) in January, down 20% the record December volumes, but at the same time up 21.5% compared January 2005, according to State Statistics Committee of Russian Federation.

The share of sunflower oil production totaled 97% or 202,400 MT, down 20.2% the previous month but up 21.3% the same period last year. The major part of sunflower oil - 118,800 MT or 60% - were produced in the South federal district.

Accumulative volume of vegoils output in Russia for September-January of 2005-06 totaled 1.15 million MT, up 30.9% the same period last year. Sunflower oil output for the same 5 months increased by 32.5% to 1.1 million MT compared last season. The total volume of crude sunflower oil production in Russia in the current marketing year is forecasted by APK-Inform agency at 2.3-2.4 million MT compared with 1.97 million MT produced last year.

Production of refined vegoils in January 2006 was 59,400 MT, up 16.3% the previous month and up 18.2% the same period last year. Accumulative volume of refined vegoils during September-January increased by 28.5% to 348,400 MT compared the same period last year.

In 2004-05 Russia produced 663,000 MT of refined oils, up 6.8% from 2003-04. According to APK-Inform forecast, during the current season above 700,000 MT of refined oils will be produced in Russia.

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