Putin blames United States for grain market disruption, says Russia will boost production

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday in his speech to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum that Russia was not to blame for rising prices on the global grain market.

Putin accused the United States of driving up food prices by printing money and "snapping up" food on global markets.

Putin said that Russia stood ready to boost its exports of grain and fertilisers, and that Russia would send food exports to Africa and the Middle East.