Russia's Sistema says plans to list agricultural business

(Adds quote, background)

MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russian conglomerate Sistema plans to list shares in Steppe, its agricultural business, later this year or early in 2018, Chairman Vladimir Yevtushenkov said on Thursday.

Sistema's only business currently listed is Russia's biggest mobile telecoms network operator MTS but on Monday its toy retailer Detsky Mir also announced an intention to list its shares.

"We plan to carry out the next IPO (initial public offering) either at the end of this year or at the beginning of next year of our agricultural holding, Steppe, because we think that it has been developing very fast," Yevtushenkov said in an interview with Rossiya-24 TV channel.

He said Sistema had set a target for Steppe of doubling profits this year and that it was seeking more acquisitions in the sector.

Agroholding Steppe is engaged in wheat, fruit and vegetable and dairy production in the southern Krasnodar, Stavropol and Rostov regions and the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia.

Detsky Mir's share sale would be held next month, Yevtushenkov said. (Reporting by Polina Devitt and Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Greg Mahlich)