Russia ships first wheat to African state
Russia has dispatched its first shipment of wheat to Togo, food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor announced on Wednesday.
The 27,000-ton consignment left Leningard region, having been inspected and certified by specialists. Rosselkhoznadzor has issued safety and quality certificates, as well as a quarantine phytosanitary condition report.
A total of 123,000 tons of wheat has been inspected for export at the branch, including other shipments destined for Nigeria.
Russia’s grain exports to Africa have seen significant growth in recent years. In December, RIA Novosti reported that Russia had surpassed France as Morocco’s top grain supplier.
Eduard Zernin, chairman of the Russian Union of Grain Exporters, highlighted Africa’s rising demand for Russian grain, attributing it to high quality and competitive pricing of the produce.
“In the current 2024-25 season, [Russian] exports to Morocco and Nigeria have already increased significantly. Kenya, which is already one of the main importers of Russian grain, is also expanding its volumes,” Zernin reported.
Statistics from the Russian Center of Grain Quality Assurance show that wheat exports from Russia's Krasnodar Region to 25 African nations grew by 14.4% between January and September 2024, totaling 14.8 million tons. The top five importers included Egypt (6.8 million tons), Algeria (1.3 million tons), Kenya (1.2 million tons), Libya (1.0 million tons), and Sudan (0.6 million tons). Exports to Gambia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia also resumed, highlighting sustained demand across the continent.
In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a 50% increase in agricultural exports by 2030 compared to 2021 levels, which totaled $37 billion.
