Grains had been harvested from an area of 15.9 million hectares or 37 percent of the targeted area, 2.4 million hectares more than at the same date last year, the ministry said. Average yields fell to 2.22 tonnes per hectare from 2.78 tonnes a year ago. Bunker weight is normally 7-8 percent higher than the clean weight obtained after the grain is cleaned and dried, but the difference may be lower in hot and dry years, such as this year. The ministry said as of Aug. 3 crops had been lost on an area of 10.2 million hectares, a slight increase from 10 million as of July 22. It did not provide separate data on grain losses. Last week, a weather forecaster and an analyst said that the worst damage to the grain crop had already been done and further damage may be limited. The wheat crop by Aug. 3 was 26.4 million tonnes, one million tonnes less than a year ago, while barley output was 4.1 million tonnes, down by 1.4 million, the ministry said. It said the bulk of the grain had been harvested in southern Russian regions largely unaffected by the drought, but the harvesting campaign was also proceeding in the regions along the Volga river, north-western Russia and started in the Urals. States of emergency due to drought have been declared by Aug. 3 in 27 regions along the Volga, in the southern part of the Urals, in the centre of the European part of the country and in Siberia, up from 23 regions by July 22. Farmers also harvested 365,700 tonnes of rapeseeds by Aug. 3, or 200,800 tonnes more than a year ago, the ministry said.