.Death toll from Leningrad reg hurricane stands at 13.

ST PETERSBURG, August 10 (Itar-Tass) - The death toll from the
hurricane that swept across Russia's Leningrad region overnight to July 30
stands at 13, the press service of the regional police department told
Tass on Monday. Six people are missing, its sources said.
Three bodies have not been identified as of yet. They were found after
the hurricane in different lakes of the regions' Priozersky district that
was in the epicentre of the storm. Four passengers of a yacht as well as
two fishermen are among the victims.
The storm front hitting the region overnight to July 30 was
accompanied by gale-force winds with gusts reaching 23 meters per second.
The wind uprooted a lot of trees impeding traffic on highways and on some
sections of the railway, as well as damaged vehicles.
Electricity was cut off to seven districts of the Leningrad region.

.Meat prices in France to grow after Russia grain export ban: view.

PARIS, August 10 (Itar-Tass) - An embargo on grain exports, imposed by
Russia, will raise meat prices in France, Michel Portier, head of farm
adviser Agritel, believes. Many other French economists are of the same
opinion.
The expert said a growth of wheat prices is inevitable and will tell
on the cost of forage fodder. Wheat is an important component in the
ration of pigs and chickens, and less important in the ration of cows, the
expert said.
He also said that when wheat prices grow, the price of other grain
crops also grows. The specialist said that as a result of dry and hot
weather this year, there was not much grass in France, as a result of
which forage conservation decreased. This shortage must be compensated
through the purchase of forage fodder, he said.
As a result of growing wheat prices, meat prices at food stores are
expected to grow in France six to ten percent, Portier said. He believes
that there will be a sharp increase in prices of chicken in September.
Then, starting from October, pork prices will grow as well. Beef prices
will grow within the next three months, the specialist stressed.
He admitted that specialists cannot say at the moment how long meat
will remain overpriced in France. This to a great extent depends on the
amount and quality of crops in Argentina and Australia, where the
harvesting season will be in November-December, he said.
He expressed fears over the fate of the French stock farming, and said
mass manifestations of French farmers may be expected in autumn.
Last week Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the
temporary ban on the export of grain and other agricultural goods from
August 15 till December 31.
First Vice Premier in charge of agricultural policy, Viktor Zubkov,
said on August 6 feed grain from the intervention fund will be sold at the
purchase price.
Putin said earlier grain will be distributed without auctions through
quotas this year.
At present, the intervention fund comprises 9.5 million tonnes of
grain bought in 2005-2006 and in 2008.
This year Russia's grain output will reach 70-75 million tonnes, of
them 21.5 million tonnes were intended for export.

.Fire victims to be part of commissions dealing with their problems.

MOSCOW, August 10 (Itar-Tass) - Homeless fire victims will be among
the members of the commissions set up to settle their problems, Russian
president's envoy to the Central Federal District, Georgy Poltavchenko,
said in an interview published by the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper on
Tuesday.
The envoy said they themselves will control the settlement of their
problems and there will be practically no possibility to steal money
intended for them.
"I believe fears about the money are groundless in this situation,"
Poltavchenko said. "First of all, compensations for destroyed houses are
handed to people, and nobody can steal this money. Secondly, control over
the expenditure of money from the federal budget sent to the regions for
the restoration of houses will be effected by the Russian government and
chief federal inspectors," he stressed.
"We have agreed with the governors of the regions hit by fires that
some of the homeless fire victims will be included in all commissions that
will deal with the problems of fire victims," Poltavchenko reported. "All
decisions will be made with taking into consideration the opinion of
homeless fire victims, and with their direct participation," he added.
"There are practically no conditions for stealing the money allocated
for homeless fire victims," he stressed. "At any rate we will strictly
keep watch over that," he pledged.
-0-zhe/


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