Russian Agriculture Ministry plans to increase number of agricultural attaches in African countries in the near future

ST. PETERSBURG. July 28 (Interfax) - The Russian Ministry of Agriculture in the near future plans to increase the number of its representatives in African countries by 50%.

"The Ministry of Agriculture is providing all the support it can for the development of trade with African countries, including eight ministry representatives, our agricultural attaches, who have already been sent for this purpose. Their activities have a direct and immediate impact on increases in the volume of trade. In the near future, we will increase their number by almost one-and-a-half times," Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sergei Levin said at the Russia-Africa forum on Friday in St. Petersburg.

Russia currently accounts for about 20% of African wheat imports, 18% of barley imports, and more than 13% of imports of vegetable oils, both soybean and sunflower. "We are providing African countries with basic agricultural products, which are primarily related to food security and which are important for every inhabitant on the continent," he said.

Russian food exports to African countries continue to grow steadily, Levin said. In the first half of 2023, they have increased significantly. "We have increased almost all the main commodity groups that we supply to African countries. Moreover, we believe that we can continue to increase shipments with confidence. At the same time, the Russian Federation is interested in expanding its purchases of African products, such as tropical fruits, cocoa beans and many other products, which, due to climatic conditions, do not grow in our country," the deputy minister said.

Russia has great potential to increase its export of agricultural products, including to African countries, Levin said. "According to the latest government program, by 2030 we will add another 13 million hectares of agricultural land, from which we will harvest additional large volumes of grain, and produce oil and fat products, etc. Naturally, all of it will go to the world market," he said.