Russia allocates special fund for crop production

Russia has allocated a special fund to encourage crop production in 18 regions across the country, the government said Wednesday.

Some 2.57 billion rubles (about 40 million U.S. dollars) has been distributed within the framework of a state program.

Russia is one of the biggest wheat exporters in the world. Last year, Russia exported agricultural commodities for a record sum of 20 billion U.S. dollars, which exceeded the country's revenues from arms exports, according to Alexander Korbut, vice president of Russia's Grain Union industry lobby. Endi