Russian Grain Union to improve management of ports

The Russian Grain Union will discuss the possibility of creating a commercial institution for managing port facilities, president of the Union Arkady Zlochevsky reported to journalists today. He pointed out that this institution could be created as a pool of investors, consisting of 10 to 20 companies, which are participators of the Russian grain market. Zlochevsky believes that this is the way for creating additional export grain transportation facilities and reconstructing the existing port facilities. For example, an additional issue of shares of the Novorossiysk port (the Black sea) and other ports could be performed. The attracted resources will allow for upgrading the existing facilities and creating additional grain terminals.

According to Zlochevsky, a standard grain terminal with a capacity of 10 million tons of grain per year requires $100m in investments. He also believes that in the 2002-2003 agricultural year, Russia's export potential will amount to 12 million tons of grain.