Drought could lower Russia's crops by 10%

MOSCOW, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The summer heat wave in Russia may reduce the country's agricultural production by 10 percent, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said Friday.

The minister said Russia's worst drought and heat in 130 years cut grain crops by a third, the potato harvest by 24.4 percent and vegetables by 6.1 percent, RIA Novosti reported.

"Agriculture may lose up to 10 percent this year, but these are not final figures," Shuvalov told the lower house of the country's Parliament.

Shuvalov said Russia's agriculture could hit next year's target numbers because the government took measures to aid affected regions, including subsidies and cheap grain transportation.