Russia to continue supplying grain to Africa both on contractual basis, free of charge - Putin

MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - Russia will continue to supply grain to African countries both on a contractual basis and free of charge, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Russia will continue to act as a responsible supplier of grain crops to Africa. We'll continue to do so, as before, both on a contractual basis and free of charge," Putin said at a press conference following the Russia-Africa summit on Thursday.

African leaders have displayed an interest in attracting Russian businesses to their countries to help increase agricultural production, he said.

"We're prepared to share our expertise in the agricultural sector with our African partners and to assist them in adopting the most advanced, cutting-edge technologies for livestock farming, crop production, and the processing and storage of agricultural products," Putin said.

"The exchange of views that took place during the summit confirmed that the leaders of numerous African countries view agriculture as a key area for cooperation with Russia, expect our country to continue doing what it can to enhance food security across the African continent, and supply their consumer markets with essential food products. Naturally, we're open to this and prepared for this," Putin said.

As reported, Russia exported 18 million tonnes of grain to African countries in 2025 and 13 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, which is 8% more than in the same period last year. Egypt was the largest buyer, with 5.9 million tonnes of Russian grain shipped to its market. Around 1.5 million tonnes was exported to Sudan (up nearly 50%), and about 1.2 million tonnes to Kenya (up 150%).