02:29Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitri Patrushev stated that Moscow had completed wheat deliveries to six African countries, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the United Grain Company and with the aid and assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transport, has completed the delivery of wheat to six of the poorest countries on the African continent," Patrushev said.
"25,000 tonnes each were delivered to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Eritrea, while 50,000 tonnes each were shipped to Somalia and the Central African Republic," he continued.
According to the minister, Russia had shipped more than 66 million tonnes of grain, worth almost 16.5 billion dollars, abroad in 2023.
"This is an absolute record for Russia. I am now talking about 2023. Wheat, corn and barley accounted for the largest part of the shipment volume. Moreover, we continue to hold the first place in the world in terms of wheat trade. Russia is the main supplier of this crop to such countries as Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and China," he added.
On August 22, 2023, Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17, 2023. That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative, which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Russia completes wheat deliveries to six African countries - Agriculture Minister Patrushev
Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitri Patrushev stated that Moscow had completed wheat deliveries to six African countries, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the United Grain Company and with the aid and assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transport, has completed the delivery of wheat to six of the poorest countries on the African continent," Patrushev said.
"25,000 tonnes each were delivered to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Eritrea, while 50,000 tonnes each were shipped to Somalia and the Central African Republic," he continued.
According to the minister, Russia had shipped more than 66 million tonnes of grain, worth almost 16.5 billion dollars, abroad in 2023.
"This is an absolute record for Russia. I am now talking about 2023. Wheat, corn and barley accounted for the largest part of the shipment volume. Moreover, we continue to hold the first place in the world in terms of wheat trade. Russia is the main supplier of this crop to such countries as Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and China," he added.
On August 22, 2023, Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17, 2023. That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative, which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitri Patrushev stated that Moscow had completed wheat deliveries to six African countries, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.
"The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the United Grain Company and with the aid and assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transport, has completed the delivery of wheat to six of the poorest countries on the African continent," Patrushev said.
"25,000 tonnes each were delivered to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Eritrea, while 50,000 tonnes each were shipped to Somalia and the Central African Republic," he continued.
According to the minister, Russia had shipped more than 66 million tonnes of grain, worth almost 16.5 billion dollars, abroad in 2023.
"This is an absolute record for Russia. I am now talking about 2023. Wheat, corn and barley accounted for the largest part of the shipment volume. Moreover, we continue to hold the first place in the world in terms of wheat trade. Russia is the main supplier of this crop to such countries as Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and China," he added.
On August 22, 2023, Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17, 2023. That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative, which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.