Russia could suspend its exports of wheat, barley and corn from this Tuesday, March 15 and until June 30, announced the Russian Ministry of Agriculture.
Russia is the largest exporter of wheat in the world, Egypt and Turkey being among the main buyers. It is mainly in competition in the export of wheat with the European Union and Ukraine.
“The ministries of agriculture and trade have prepared a project of government decree which will impose a temporary ban on the main cereal exports, from March 15 to June 30,” said the Interfax news agency.
However, the Reuters agency reported yesterday that Russia had gradually resumed the export of its wheat from its Black Sea ports, despite restrictions on navigation in the Azov Sea.
“Exports have been underway from the five terminals (cereal export) of the Black Sea,” said agricultural consulting firm Ikar in a note.
Sovecon, another consulting firm, reported that the Russian black sea terminals loaded 400,000 tonnes of wheat last week and that ships enter and leave the ports.