Agricultural products trade between Russia, African countries up by 7.5% in Jan-Sept 2024 - Russian Agriculture Ministry

MOSCOW. Nov 11 (Interfax) - Trade in agricultural products between Russia and African counties grew by 7.5% in the nine months of 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year, Russian State Secretary and Deputy Agriculture Minister Maxim Uvaidov said at a panel discussion as part of the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi on Saturday.

"Trade increased by 19% and exceeded $8 billion in 2023. The positive dynamic remains this year. Mutual trade grew by another 7.5% in the nine months of 2024. Of course, there are a number of difficulties in payments and supplies, but we are successfully overcoming them," Uvaidov said.

Russia's share in food import by African countries is over 14% in volume terms, he said. "In particular, supplies from Russia account for over a third of import of wheat, barley, sunflower oil to African countries and for 11% [of import of] soybean oil," he said.

"Nevertheless, we believe that the cooperation potential has still not been unlocked fully. In addition to grains and vegetable oil, we can expand supplies of meat, dairy, fish and other products," Uvaidov said, adding that Russia "is ready to continue making a significant contribution to ensuring African countries' food security."

The staff of agricultural attaches in African countries will be expanded soon to that end, he said. The Russian Agriculture Ministry's trade representatives are currently working in nine countries, namely, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia. "Our guys will come to Mozambique, Nigeria and Benin as well in the near future. They will help promoting our products and ensuring interaction between the countries," he said. "Besides basic tasks of increasing export of Russian food products, the representatives of the Agriculture Ministry provide active support in ensuring bilateral contacts too," he said.