Russia wants more profound trade relations with Africa
(MENAFN) Africa is becoming an increasingly vital market for Russian exporters, offering substantial room for growth, according to Tatyana An, Vice President of the Russian Export Center (REC). Speaking at the INNOPROM-2025 industrial expo in Ekaterinburg, she highlighted ongoing efforts to equip Russian businesses with financial tools and export support to help them access African markets.
An noted that while Russian exports to Africa are on the rise, trade is still heavily focused on just a few countries and product types. Wheat and petroleum products currently make up around 65% of all exports to the continent, she said, stressing the need for broader sectoral and regional diversification.
In 2024, Russian exports to Africa supported by the REC reached 121.8 billion rubles (around $1.5 billion), with top destinations including Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, and Morocco.
At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in June, Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev announced plans to increase fertilizer shipments to Africa from 1 million to 5 million metric tons annually by 2030. He said the goal would yield “real achievements” for both Russia and African agriculture.
PhosAgro CEO Mikhail Rybnikov added that his company’s major African buyers now include South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Morocco.
Russia’s agricultural exports to Africa surpassed $7 billion in 2024, reflecting a 19% increase over the previous year, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Food products were delivered to 45 African nations, with Egypt maintaining its position as the top buyer of Russian wheat, as well as other items like sunflower oil, soy oil, legumes, and flax seeds.
Igor Pavensky of Rusagrotrans reported that African countries imported 21.2 million tons of Russian wheat during the 2023/2024 marketing season—38% of Russia’s total wheat exports—marking a new record. This is up from 17.6 million tons the year before and just 10.6 million in 2021/2022.
By the end of 2024, Russia had overtaken France as Morocco’s leading grain supplier, driven by competitive pricing and lower French output, according to the Center of Grain Quality Assurance.
Earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin set a target to raise Russia’s agricultural exports by 50% by 2030, relative to 2021 levels, which stood at $37 billion.
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