Russia boosts wheat exports to Africa

First quarter shipments abroad totaled 11.8 million tons, according to statistics

Russia’s wheat exports to African countries surged in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with supplies to Nigeria increasing fourfold to 210,000 tons, food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor reported on Thursday.

According to data from Russia’s Federal State Information System (FGIS Argus-Fito), cited by Rosselkhoznadzor, exports of raw grain and its processed products totaled 11.8 million tons between January and April 6.

Tunisia’s imports of Russian wheats grew by 78% to 191,000 tons, Morocco’s accelerated by 72% to 147,000 tons, and Mozambique’s rose twelvefold to 74,000 tons.

“Deliveries of wheat (373,000 tons) from the ports of Leningrad region to Israel, Bangladesh, Senegal and Togo; and barley (127,000 tons) to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Libya have begun,” the agency stated.

Russia’s grain exports to Africa have seen significant growth in recent years. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a 50% increase in agricultural exports by 2030 compared to 2021 levels, which totaled $37 billion.

READ MORE: Russian food exports to Africa increase 19%

Last month, Moscow’s Ministry of Agriculture reported that Russian food exports to African countries exceeded $7 billion in 2024, up 19% from 2023.

According to the ministry’s Agroexport center, domestic food products were supplied to 45 countries on the continent, with Egypt remaining the top importer.

The North African nation’s imports of Russian goods, including wheat, sunflower and soybean oil, legumes, flax seeds, molasses, and yeast, grew by 21% in value terms, the department stated.

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Algeria ranked second in terms of Russian food imports, followed by Libya, Kenya, and Tunisia, Agroexport data shows. Cereals – mainly wheat, barley, and corn – accounted for 87% of all food shipments to the continent. Dairy product exports also saw significant growth last year.

Russia surpassed France as Morocco’s top grain supplier last year, with Ruslan Khasanov, head of Moscow’s Center of Grain Quality Assurance, citing competitive pricing and limited French supplies as reasons.

Apart from African countries, shipments of buckwheat from Russia to China have tripled to 127,000 tons, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.

“After a year-long hiatus, barley exports to Lebanon (9,000 tons) resumed. Shipments were made from ports in the Rostov region,” it announced on Thursday.