Russia increases its exports by 60% in July after renouncing grain deals

Russia has increased its grain exports by 60% in July compared to the same month in 2022, coinciding with the Kremlin's renunciation of grain agreements.

Grain exports amounted to 5.68 million tonnes, Yelena Tiurina, head of the Russian Grain Union's analysis department, told the official RIA Novosti news agency.

Of this volume, 4.54 million tonnes was wheat, an increase of 50 percent, she said.

The main customer for Russian grain was Saudi Arabia with 578,000 tonnes, followed by Turkey with 518,000 tonnes, Egypt with 467,000 tonnes and Israel with 345,000 tonnes.

Among developing countries, Bangladesh imported 222,000 tonnes, Tanzania 94,000 tonnes and Sudan 68,000 tonnes.

"New buyers of Russian wheat are Latin American countries. For example, Brazil received 62,000 tonnes and Peru 49,000 tonnes. Last year Brazil and Peru did not buy our wheat," she explained.

A total of 33 countries received wheat shipments this month, seven countries more than a year ago.

The Russian Grain Union estimates the country's export potential at 55-57 million tonnes of grain, which includes 48-49 tonnes of cereal.

According to Tiurina's estimates, exports of maize also increased by 40% (319,400 tonnes) and barley by 160% to 822,000 tonnes.

As a result, Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that Russia can replace Ukraine as the world's cereal supplier, arguing that it produces much more cereal than its neighbour.

Last week, during the Africa-Russia summit, Putin promised to help six countries on the continent - Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Eritrea - with free grain shipments, although UN Secretary General António Guterres has already assured that such a measure will only lead to a further rise in prices.

Putin recalled that Moscow has shipped almost 10 million tonnes to Africa this year, including 9 million tonnes of wheat, proving its strength as the continent's breadbasket.

However, during the plenary Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged that a solution to the problem of food supplies "to the most needy countries" be reached "urgently".

Ukraine admitted that last week Russian attacks on Black Sea port terminals destroyed 180,000 tonnes of grain destined for export.