Russia may declare a nationwide emergency by the end of this week due to frosts that have damaged crops, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut was quoted as saying on Monday.
State news agency RIA quoted Lut as saying she hoped the measure would be declared, paving the way for insurance claims, following a meeting of a committee of the emergencies ministry.
Several Russian regions have already declared local emergencies because of the frosts, which have hit crops ranging from grains to apples.
The Sovecon agricultural consultancy said last week it expected Russia's wheat crop to slip to 82.1 million metric tons this year, below a previous forecast of 85.7 million tons.
Lut said the extent of damage had not yet been calculated in cash terms.
The head of Russia's Grain Union said on May 27 that some 1.5 million hectares of crops had been damaged.
TASS news agency separately quoted Lut as saying Russia would find other markets for its grain after the European Union said last week it would impose prohibitive tariffs on cereals, oilseeds and derived products from Russia and Belarus from July 1, a move the bloc said would halt imports of these products.