The average price of Russia`s Urals export oil blend jumped 69% in April 2010 year-on-year to $82.5 per barrel as the world economy recovers from the effects of the global economic crisis, a Finance Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Alexander Sakovich, head of the ministry`s consolidated analysis department, said the Urals price was $48.81 per barrel in April 2009.

"From January to April this year, the average oil price was registered at the level of $76.96 per barrel, compared with $44.79 per barrel in the first four months of last year," Sakovich said.

Russia`s oil price equaled $76.71 per barrel in March 2010 and registered an increase of 7.5% in April this year, month-on-month, Sakovich said.

Russia`s Economic Development Ministry has raised its forecast on the average annual price of Urals crude this year from $54-57 per barrel to $76 per barrel following trends on global oil markets.
sections: Society, Economics