Show agricultural officials confirm russian grain shortage department ot of agriculture officials today confirmed press dispatches to the effect that russia is suffering from a shortage of bread grains and will have to import considerable quantities of wheat large purchases of wheat and flour on russian account in both england and the united states have already been reported most of the proposed imports of from to bushels of wheat with a possible maximum ot of bushels will be in the form of flour the department said in order to purchase this wheat and flour together with much needed supplies of cotton textiles machinery rubber and other commodities russia must build up a trade balance exports of other commodities in the first six months of 1924 soviet russia had a large favorable balance of trade but in this balance bread grains constituted the largest item it seems probable therefore that during 1925 the soviet government will make a great effort to increase exports of other products such as butter and eggs forest products furs bristles petroleum products and minerals reports of prospects tor for grain crops in russia in 1925 are conflicting the international institute of agriculture reports that russian tall fall are not larger than last year in the ukraine according to the institute wheat are larger than last year but rye are smaller weather conditions in russia have not been generally favorable for winter cereals and it Is probable that winter wiling will be heavy in the important winter wheat areas of the southwest however weather conditions were more favorable than els where the soviet government is urging the peasants to increase spring in order to make good the losses g from winter killing hilling and it Is reported that some ot of the foreign grain purchases will be distributed to the peasants tor for seed 00 oo |