Pig production for slaughter rose by 11.2 per cent for pigs, sheep and goats 0.5 per cent, and poultry 3.4 per cent.

However, the corresponding figures for cattle fell by two per cent.

The Russian Ministry of Agriculture said that, according to Rosstat, milk production on all types of farms fell by 1.3 per cent to 6.1 million tonnes in the first quarter.

Milk yield per cow in agricultural enterprises increased by 64 kilograms, or 5.3 per cent, to 1,264 kilograms.

Egg production decreased slightly to an estimated 9.6 million on all types of farms in the quarter, or 2.7 per cent less than last year.

Rosstat reported that the average selling price for 10 eggs in the country at the start of the year was 32.96 roubles.

According to Vladimir Labinov, the Head of the Ministry’s Livestock Department, there were 20.2 million head of cattle on all types of farms at the beginning of April, or 2.3 per cent less than at the same period last year.

This figure includes 8.7 million cows, which represents a decrease of 2.5 per cent.

The number of pigs remained at the same level as the first quarter of last year, at 19.9 million head.

The number of sheep and goats in agricultural enterprises increased by 0.7 per cent to 25.1 million head, while the number of poultry increased by 2.7 per cent to 417.1 million.