Donetsk, Oct 31 — DAN. Donetsk People’s Republic agribusinesses have sold more than 400 tons of grain and oil bearing crops in other Russian regions since the beginning of this year, Russian Agrictulrue Ministry told the Donetsk News Agency.

“More than 400,000 tons of grain and oil bearing crops were sold to other regions of the country in the first nine months of this year, ” the Ministry said. “Sale prices have reached the price level in neighboring Russian regions.”

The sales volume is expected to grow together with production next year. In March, the Donetsk News Agency reported on DPR grain export plans. Back then, the regional Agriculture Ministry said that as an incentive for agribusinesses, the Russian government had exempted DPR farmers from paying export duties on 143,000 tons of wheat and barley.

This year, the DPR harvested more than 720,000 tons of grain and grain-legumes. The regional authorities said that the Republic had achieved self-sufficiency in grain, oil-yielding crops, flour and sunflower oil.

The average crop yield in the Republic increased by 28 percent.*jk