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Russia said Monday that measures were being taken to minimize the impact of Ukrainian strikes on its grain exports as global wheat importers brace for tighter supplies amid attacks on Black Sea grain infrastructure.
“Measures have been identified and will be further developed, ensuring that all grain intended for export is shipped on time and in full,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
President Vladimir Putin acknowledged last week that Russia was experiencing problems with agricultural exports but said Moscow would resolve them.
Putin also pledged that there would be no shortages on global markets.
Tit-for-tat attacks by Russia and Ukraine, both major grain exporters, on ports and vessels in recent weeks have shuttered grain terminals and forced shippers to delay or cancel loadings for dozens of cargoes during the peak export season.
Putin estimated that Russia would have about 60 million tons of grain available for export in the current season.
Russian grain exports are expected to rise to 2.2 million metric tons in August from 1.95 million in July, according to the Sovecon consultancy.
The value of Russian grain exports to China jumped nearly 50% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, a Russian Agriculture Ministry official said Thursday.
“In the first seven months of 2026, Russia exported 895,000 tons of grain to China worth $227 million,” said Ilyushin, head of the Agriculture Ministry’s Agroexport center.
“Compared to the same period last year, the volume of supplies rose 31% in physical terms and 47% in value terms,” he said at the International Forum Rostki in the Russian city of Kazan.
Ilyushin said the figures underscored the growing role of agricultural products in Russia-China trade as Moscow and Beijing continue to expand economic cooperation across multiple sectors.
Barley was Russia’s leading grain export to China by value, at more than $87 million, followed by corn at more than $55 million and buckwheat at about $45 million.
Wheat was among the main drivers of growth, with exports to China surging 24-fold in value year-on-year to more than $10 million, Ilyushin said.
Oat exports rose 41% in value to almost $30 million, while corn shipments increased 13% to more than $55 million.
Ilyushin said the January-July figure was the second-highest on record for Russian grain exports to China.
The record was set in 2024, when Russia supplied more than 1 million tons of grain worth $248 million to China.
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