Russia wants to sell more wheat to China, but it faces a problem. Beijing is unsure about allowing imports of Russian winter wheat. This information was provided by Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut, who spoke with Russian news agencies on Tuesday.
Russia’s Push to Expand Wheat Exports to China Stalls Over Winter Wheat Ban.
Despite being the world’s largest wheat exporter, Russia has made little headway in accessing China’s vast market. Lut, who was with President Vladimir Putin’s delegation in China, said there was no progress on the issue. This was true despite the two countries signing important energy deals during the visit.
“We are very hopeful, but we don’t fully understand the reasoning behind the rejection of winter wheat,” Lut said.
While China currently permits limited imports of Russian spring wheat, the bulk of Russia’s export-grade wheat is winter wheat. This restriction has stopped a big wheat trade deal between Russia and China. China is the world’s largest wheat consumer.
Russia already exports a variety of agricultural products to China, including pork, vegetable oil, and ice cream. The absence of a wheat agreement contrasts with the positive tone of Putin’s four-day visit. This visit aimed to strengthen the “no limits” partnership between the two countries.
The Russian Agriculture Ministry separately reported a 10% increase in agricultural exports to China this year. Russia still relies heavily on its traditional wheat buyers in the Middle East and North Africa. Now, it is trying to expand into Asian and Latin American markets.
Arkady Zlochevsky, the head of the Russian Grain Union, said that China has not yet decided on winter wheat imports. Ministerial talks in May during Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow also failed to yield results.
“It’s the same wheat as spring wheat and meets the same phytosanitary standards,” Lut emphasised.
