Russia increases agricultural product exports to UAE 2.8-fold to 902,000 tonnes - Agroexport

MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax) - Russia exported 902,000 tonnes of agricultural products to the UAE in 2023, 2.8 times more than the year before. This translates to a 70% increase in value terms, the Ministry of Agriculture's Agroexport Center said.

The primary export was grain crops. Wheat shipments doubled to 663,000 tonnes, while their value increased 70%. Barley shipments more than doubled to 85,000 tonnes. In addition, for the first time since 2017, Russia exported 31,000 tonnes of corn to the UAE.

In addition, Russia increased shipments of grain legumes. Pea exports exceeded 37,000 tonnes, a 2.9-fold increase over 2022, while 17,000 tonnes of lentils were shipped (a 2.6-fold increase).

Russia has gradually increased wheat shipments to the UAE in recent years, Agroexport said. Exports amounted to over 900,000 tonnes in the 2019/20 agricultural year, or 50% of the UAE's total import of the crop. However, last season the share decreased. "The main competition in this market currently comes from Australia, for whom the UAE is a logistically attractive destination. However, in the 2023/2024 agricultural year, the El Niño effect led to a deterioration in precipitation in Australia and a drop in gross harvest to 25 million tonnes, which gives Russian wheat the chance to increase its share in the UAE market," Agroexport said.

The report says that Russia and the UAE agreed on a veterinary certificate in 2022 for the export of Russian fish, live bivalve mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms and products made from them. Russian frozen fish exports to UAE increased 54% in 2023 to almost 30,000 tonnes.

Andrei Terekhin, Russia's trade representative in the UAE, was quoted by Agroexport as saying that the UAE market provides significant potential for the supply of a wide range of agricultural products. "Due to natural and climatic restrictions, the UAE ensures demand for food mainly through imports, and at the same time is quite liberal in terms of regulating the import of food products. So far, Russia's share in the total volume of food imports into the UAE is small, but Russian companies have shown increasing interest in this market in recent years," he said. The UAE also sees Russia as a reliable and sustainable supplier. After a pause, Russia is restoring its position in the market of grains and legumes, supplying vegetable oil, meat, confectionery, honey and other types of food.

The trade turnover in agricultural products between the two countries almost doubled in 2023, Terekhin said.

Agroexport clarified that in 2023, in value terms, wheat accounted for 57% of Russia's agricultural exports to the UAE, while frozen fish was 10%, legumes 8.4%, barley 4.4%, and poultry meat 4%.

Gulfood 2024, the 29th international exhibition of food, beverages, equipment for the hotel, restaurant business and culinary industry of the Gulf countries, is taking place in Dubai from February 19-23. Russia has been a participant in it for 9 years.