In Brief : U.S. OKs Soviet Wheat Purchases
The United States has given the go-ahead to the Soviet Union for buying more U.S. grain this year, including subsidized wheat, raising the possibility that total sales might exceed the record level of four years ago.
Agriculture Department officials said Wednesday that the Soviets have been cleared to buy up to 20 million metric tons of grain in 1988-89, up from the 16 million tons specified earlier. Purchases already total more than 12 million tons.
The department also said the Soviets have bought an additional 150,000 tons of soybean meal, which has a potential current market value of about $36 million.
Under a long-term grain agreement, the Soviet Union was originally limited to 12 million tons of U.S. grain a year without further consultations with Washington, but that was increased to 16 million tons Dec. 23. The agreement had expired last Sept. 30 but was later extended.
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