Moscow, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Russian wheat export prices declined gradually last week, as demand remained sluggish with the onset of the holiday season.

The price for Russian wheat with 12.5% protein content for free-on-board (FOB) delivery at the beginning of February was $226 a metric ton at the end of last week, down $1 from the previous week, said Dmitry Rylko, head of the IKAR consultancy.

The Sovecon consultancy estimated the price for Russian wheat with 12.5% protein content at between $228 and $230 a ton FOB, the same level as a week earlier.

Sovecon also raised its export assessment of December wheat exports by 0.3 million tons compared to last week to 4.2 million tons.

IKAR stuck to estimated wheat exports in December of 4.5 million tons.

No forecast change yet despite cold weather

State statistical agency Rosstat reported at the end of last week that, according to preliminary data, Russia harvested 139.4 million tons of grain in 2025 including 91.4 million tons of wheat.

According to Rosstat data as of December 1, winter crops were sown on an area of 10.9 million hectares, or 2.8% less than last year.

The winter frosts that hit the European part of Russia last week, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit), have not yet forced analysts to change their forecasts for the 2026 harvest.

However, they may reconsider their expectations, IKAR's Rylko said.

"The condition (of the crops) is not bad, but I would not relax," he said, adding that southern Russia needs precipitation and the Volga region is experiencing significantly low temperatures.

Other Russian data provided by Sovecon and IKAR:

Product Most recent data Change from a week earlier
Domestic 3rd class wheat, European part of Russia, excludes delivery (Sovecon) 13,475 rbls/t 0 rbls/t
Sunflower seeds (Sovecon) 36,300 rbls/t +25 rbls/t
Domestic sunflower oil (Sovecon) 93,500 rbls/t -850 rbls/t
Export sunflower oil (IKAR) $1,225/t 0 $/t
Domestic soybeans (Sovecon) 29,250 rbls/t 0 rbls/t
White sugar, Russia's south (IKAR) $666.41/t +$31.65

(Reporting by Olga Popova
Editing by Kirsten Donovan)