Cherkizovo expects more state help on grain

* Meat producer says state helping farmers amid drought 

* Expects further subsidies if grain prices continue to rise 

* Maintains production targets for 2010 

MOSCOW, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Russia's biggest meat producer Cherkizovo said the government should do more to help farmers if grain prices continue to rise, although it welcomed measures to mitigate the impact of the drought to date. 

The company, which owns poultry and pig farms, said aggressive grain price increases caused by a heatwave-induced poor harvest were likely to lead to meat price inflation, but that it was counting on the state for further aid. 

"In the event of sustained extraordinary grain price increases, we reasonably anticipate that the government will intervene with additional subsidy measures," Chief Executive Sergei Mikhailov said on Wednesday. 

Russia has imposed a grain export ban amid other measures to help local producers, who have seen crops destroyed by the country's worst heatwave on record. [ID:nN10151347] 

Mikhailov added that the heatwave and subsequent fires in Central Russia had not affected any of its farms to date, while the group remained on track to hit 2010 production targets. 

Cherkizovo said poultry sales rose 8 percent in the first half of the year, while pork soared 75 percent as new farms reached full target levels. (Reporting by John Bowker; Editing by David Cowell)