Customs sub-commission approves quota of 11 mln tonnes for wheat export from Russia from Feb 15 to June 30, 2025 - Econ Ministry

MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax) - The customs sub-commission has approved a quota of 11 million for wheat export from Russia from February 15 to June 30, 2025.

"The sub-commission at a meeting approved a tariff quota for the export of grain crops from Russia to states that are not members of the EAEU from February 15 to June 30, 2025, in the amount of 11 million tonnes. The quota includes only wheat and meslin. The quota to export of barley, rye and corn will be 0 tonnes," the Russian Economic Development Ministry said.

The quota will incorporate a floating export duty rate (damper), while the rate outside the quota rate will be 50%, but not less than 100 euros per tonne. The relevant government resolution will be drafted soon.

Russia introduced grain export quotas in 2020. The restrictions were introduced from April 1 to June 30 and were limited to 7 million tonnes. A new quota of 17.5 million tonnes was introduced from February 15 to June 30, 2021. In late 2021, the government decided that the quota would become an annual measure effective from February 15 to June 30.

In 2022, the quota was set at 11 million tonnes, including 8 million tonnes of wheat. In 2023, it increased to 25.5 million tonnes without restrictions on specific types of grain. The 2024 quota was 29 million tonnes, having initially been set at 24 million tonnes but with an additional 5 million tonnes added later. It also did not differentiate between grain types.

In an interview with Vedomosti at the beginning of November, Agriculture Minister Oksana Luth said 76% of last year's quota had been used. Companies that did not fully use their quota will have their allocations proportionally reduced through a correction coefficient in 2025, she said.

The Agriculture Ministry estimates the potential for grain exports this season at up to 60 million tonnes. Russia exported 72.2 million tonnes of grain last year, including 54.1 million tonnes of wheat.

Russia harvested 144.9 million tonnes of grain, including 92.8 million tonnes of wheat, in 2023. The official forecast for this year is 130 million tonnes, including 83 million tonnes of wheat.