Russia’s grain exports hit a new record.
Exports of Russian grains and their processed products, as well as oilseeds in the 2022–23 agricultural year (changed every July) increased to a new record of 63 million tonnes. According to the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, such data was given at the All-Russian Grain Forum by Marina Shostak, deputy director of the Grain Quality Assessment Centre.
According to her, the majority of the products were classical cereals — 52.5 million tons. This is 40% more than in 2021–22. Such a result may be explained by the serious demand for Russian grain due to its high protein content (one of the main characteristics of quality) and reasonable prices. Oilseeds themselves are shipped much less — 3.5 million tonnes — but their shipments increased most noticeably by 40 per cent. They are in lower demand and have lower margins. Fodder and its grain-based components exported four million tonnes (+13 per cent). The figure was offset by the departure of several foreign producers from the Russian market. The share of leguminous products fell by seven per cent, to 1.6 million, and that of processed grain products rose by 31, but to a slightly lower figure of 1.3 million tonnes.
Of the individual countries, 19 countries in Asia (including Central Asia), Africa and the Middle East increased their cereal purchases to record levels.) These include Algeria, China, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India and many others. The top three are Turkey (7.76 million tonnes), Egypt (6.99) and Kazakhstan (the gap is already much wider, 2.77). This is respectively 23, 43 and 28 per cent more than last year. Some states increased imports several times — Pakistan eight times, Algeria five times, Bangladesh four times, Saudi Arabia and Libya three times each. A number of countries have resumed purchases. Territorially, they vary widely. They include Afghanistan, Indonesia, Qatar, Serbia, Oman and others. By continent and macro area, the Near East accounts for most of the grain shipments, with 39 per cent, followed by Asia with 27 per cent, followed by Africa with 24 per cent, and the EU and the Americas with a considerable gap at the back of the top five. The Middle East tops the list as Russia’s longstanding partner. But the share of shipments to Africa and the Middle East is also growing, and they are also in the top three, which indicates Russia’s desire to save these territories from hunger.
