MOSCOW (Dow Jones)--Russia may restrict the export of grain used for animal feed in the autumn, assuming the grain harvest outlook falls further and shipments abroad continue in the interim, the SovEcon agricultural research firm said Wednesday.

SovEcon Tuesday cut its grain-harvest forecast for 2010 to between 70 million and 75 million metric tons, from 77 million to 78 million tons earlier, amid Russia's severe heat and drought.

The Russian Grain Union also cut its forecast, its president told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his deputies have sought both to preserve Russia's potential to export grain and to prevent cattle breeders from slaughtering herds amid surging domestic grain prices.

A spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry had no immediate comment on the possibility of export restrictions. The president of the Russian Grain Union, Arkady Zlochevsky, told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday Russia will export grain this year, adding that how much was the key question.

-By William Mauldin, Dow Jones Newswires; +7 495 232-9192, william.mauldin@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 28, 2010 05:52 ET (09:52 GMT)

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