Today in Russian Business – Aug 21, 2008

What we need in dealing with Russia and the former Soviet Republics is to play softball on the politics and hardball on the commerce.” Russia risks running out of storage capacity for corn, wheat and barley, threatening a government plan to expand agricultural output and exports. Stora Enso, preparing for a planned rise in Russian wood export duties, has cut Russian imports by 40%. Vladimir Potanin said that President Dmitry Medvedev’s September meeting with Russia’s top business lobby will be held to discuss potential changes to the country’s tax system. Russian companies are continuing this week to lose money. State-run Rosnanotekh has been given an image makeover.