The record slow start to Russia's spring grain sowings campaign has not dampened prospects for wheat production this year, which is set to rebound by some 20%, a leading analyst said.

The late spring had, as of April 28, seen Russian farmers plant 2.65m hectares with grains, down from 3.65m hectares a year before, and leaving well over 90% of plantings left to completed.

However, it is barley, rather than wheat, which will feel the knock-on effects of the delays, Andrey Sizov Jr, managing director of SovEcon, said.

Indeed, spring wheat sowings, which account for a little over half of Russia's total plantings of the grain, look set to beat government expectations.

Harvest rebound  

"It has mainly been barley plantings which have been delayed," Mr Sizov told Agrimoney.com.

In eastern regions of Russia, "a major producing area for spring wheat, the planting campaign has even been earlier than usual".

SovEcon forecast spring wheat sowings rising to 14.2m-15.7m hectares from 13.9m hectares last year, and above an official forecast of 14m hectares.

The Moscow-based group, in its first forecast for the Russian wheat harvest, pegged it at 48.5m-50.8m tonnes, assuming there is no repeat of the drought which devastated crops last year.

'Persisting rumours'