MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia will be able to hold its place as the top wheat exporter in the world because the crop is "very good."

"We have a very good wheat harvest in Russia this year. The export potential will remain at the level of 60 million tons, and we will surely hold the first place in the world in terms of exports and sales on world markets of this very important commodity," Putin said at a meeting with Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana.

Putin said Russia covers 98% of Kazakhstan's demand in wheat, and remains a "key supplier" of several other agricultural groups of products.

For his part, Tokayev said Kazakhstan and Russia have "huge prospects for cooperation in agriculture" and urged to work out the establishment of joint centers for agricultural innovation.

Moscow and Astana may also combine efforts in addressing issues of the food security, he said.

Tokayev described relations between Kazakhstan and Russia as "successfully developing" and announced the opening of the Russian consulate general in the Kazakh city of Aktau "in the near future."

Russia ranks first in the global wheat export, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.