Egypt dislodges Turkey as No 1 Russian grain buyer - expert
MOSCOW. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Egypt has replaced Turkey as the No. 1 importer of Russia grain this agricultural year, which began on July 1.
Egypt bought 1.997 million tonnes of Russian wheat in the period July-October, accounting for 15% of all imports of Russian wheat, Igor Pavensky, deputy head of the Strategic Marketing Department at CJSC Rusagrotrans, told Interfax. Turkey bought 1.603 million tonnes (12%).
Pavensky said Egypt has become a leading importer as Russian wheat had been more competitive at GASC tenders. The GASC has, for example, given preference to Russian wheat over French wheat, which won tenders last season.
He said shipments to Turkey had fallen because the harvest there had increased considerably.
In the same period of the last agricultural year, Turkey imported 2.749 million tonnes of grain (14% of imports) and Egypt - 2.093 million tonnes (14%).
Saudi Arabia, which imports mostly barley from Russia, has leapfrogged Iran into third place with 1409 million tonnes (11%). It was fourth last year with 1.039 million tonnes (7%).
Iran imported 965,000 tonnes (7%) compared with 1.368 million tonnes (9%) a year previously.
South Africa, which bought 589,000 tonnes of Russian grain in July-October, rose above Azerbaijan into fifth place. Azerbaijan, which fell to sixth, has had a "slightly better harvest than last year, and what from Kazakhstan, the gross harvest and quality of which has improved, has appeared on that market," Pavensky said.
The top ten importers of Russian wheat also include Bangladesh, Nigeria, Libya and Jordan, which replace Sudan, Yemen, Georgia and Israel from last year.
Pavensky said the ranking did not include the export of 1.3 million tonnes of wheat that has not yet been entered into customs statistics.
Main buyers of Russian grain ('000 tonnes):
| Country of destination | July-Oct 2015 | Share (%) | July-Oct 2014 | Share (%) |
| Egypt | 1 997 | 15 | 2 093 | 14 |
| Turkey | 1 603 | 12 | 2 749 | 18 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 409 | 11 | 1 039 | 7 |
| Iran | 965 | 7 | 1 368 | 9 |
| South Africa | 589 | 4 | 434 | 3 |
| Azerbaijan | 536 | 4 | 768 | 5 |
| Bangladesh | 500 | 4 | - | - |
| Nigeria | 436 | 3 | 240 | 2 |
| Libya | 400 | 3 | - | - |
| Jordan | 307 | 2 | 325 | 2 |
| Lebanon | 298 | 2 | - | - |
| Israel | 281 | 2 | 377 | 3 |
| Yemen | 278 | 2 | 441 | 3 |
| Kenya | 274 | 2 | 245 | 2 |
| Georgia | 257 | 2 | 404 | 3 |
| UAE | - | - | 323 | 2 |
| Mexico | - | - | 301 | 2 |
| Other | 3 132 | 24 | 3 488 | 23 |
| Total | 13 263 | 100 | 15 043 | 100 |
Main exporters of Russian grain ('000 tonnes):
| Company | July-Oct 2015 | Share (%) |
| RIF Trading House | 1 787 | 13 |
| International Grain Company | 1 228 | 9 |
| Aston | 830 | 6 |
| Vitalmar-Agro | 651 | 5 |
| Russkiye Masla | 599 | 5 |
| Cargill | 509 | 4 |
| Outspan | 499 | 4 |
| Louis Dreyfus | 482 | 4 |
| Bunge | 457 | 3 |
| Yug Rusi | 454 | 3 |
| KZP-Expo | 454 | 3 |
| Yuzhnaya Syrevaya Kompaniya | 408 | 3 |
| Mirogroup Resources | 367 | 3 |
| Zerbno-Trade | 337 | 3 |
| Yuzhny Tsentr | 272 | 2 |
| Other | 3 927 | 30 |
