MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Russia’s wheat exports in December may reach up to 4.2 million tonnes, Reuters reported, citing Russian market analysts.

That is close to the record of 4.3 million tonnes set in December 2017, according to Russia focused consultancy Sovecon, which added that Russia exported 4.3 million tonnes of wheat in November.

In the first half of the marketing season from July to December, Russia will export 22.9 million tonnes of wheat, up 2% year-over-year, Sovecon said.

Russia is forecast to harvest a record wheat crop of more than 90 million tonnes in 2022-23, shattering the previous mark of 85 million tonnes set in 2020-21, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA anticipates that Russia will set a record in wheat exports at 42 million tonnes, topping the previous record of 41.4 million tonnes set in 2017-18.