Soviet Grain Buys Eased: The Soviet Union,...

Soviet Grain Buys Eased: The Soviet Union, which broke its record last week for buying U.S. corn and wheat, could easily gain permission to exceed the current ceiling on purchases, Agriculture Secretary Clayton K. Yeutter said. The Kremlin has bought a record 19.3 million metric tons of American grain since the trade year opened Oct. 1. The Soviets recently received permission to buy up to 24 million tons of grain without needing advance U.S. approval. “If the Soviets need something higher than a 24-million-ton ceiling, I doubt whether they would have much difficulty obtaining it,” said Yeutter, who labeled as “incorrect” some reports that the Soviets had sought a 30-million-ton ceiling in late April.