Egypt is the top buyer of Russian wheat, according to 2024 statistics

Russian agricultural exports to African nations surpassed $7 billion in 2024, marking a 19% increase from the previous year, the export department of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture reported on Monday.

Russian food products were exported to 45 African countries last year, with Egypt remaining the largest importer of Russian wheat. Additionally, Russia exported sunflower and soybean oil, legumes, flax seeds, yeast, and other products to the country.

Algeria ranked second in terms of Russian food imports. It was followed by Libya, Kenya, and Tunisia, according to data from Agroexport.

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.

"In the 2023/2024 season, African countries imported 21.2 million tons of wheat, accounting for 38% of Russia's total wheat exports and setting a record high. For comparison, 17.6 million tons were imported in the 2022/2023 season, and 10.6 million tons in the 2021/2022 season. Over the past five years, Africa's share has remained steady at around 40%, except for the 2022/2023 season, when it dropped to 35%," said Igor Pavensky, head of the analysis department at Rusagrotrans, a railway infrastructure operator company.

African countries already account for more than 50% of Russia's total wheat exports in the current season, with 18 million tons being shipped from July to February. The increase is driven by rising exports to Egypt, Algeria, Libya, and Morocco, as well as Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and other countries, Pavensky noted.

In January, 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.

"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," he reported.

By the end of last year, Russia had overtaken France as Morocco's top grain supplier due to competitive pricing and France's limited supply, according to Ruslan Khasanov, head of the Center of Grain Quality Assurance, Russia's grain quality watchdog. Omar Yacoubi, head of the Moroccan National Federation of Grain and Legume Traders, told Reuters in October that France lacks sufficient supply, while Russia's competitive pricing has positioned it as the key "market maker."

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In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a 50% increase in agricultural exports by 2030 compared to 2021 levels, which totaled $37 billion.