Reports from Moscow say the Russian government and a visiting American delegation are close to finalising a deal under which the United States would grant long term credit to enable Russia to buy much needed grain supplies from the United States.

The Russian agriculture minister, Viktor Semyonov, has played down suggestions of a food crisis, indicating yesterday Thursdaythat discussions with the American delegation from the Department of Agriculturewere focusing on animal feeds to support poultry and pig production.

But cvorrespondents say that after a poor grain harvest and falling imports, there has been growing concern in Russia that it may have difficulty in maintaining adequate food supplies through the coming winter.