Russia has completed the delivery of 200,000 tons of wheat to six African countries as humanitarian aid.

Russia has completed wheat deliveries to six of the poorest countries in Africa. A total of 200,000 tons of grain were sent as humanitarian aid. This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev, during a meeting with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

“We have completed the shipment of wheat to the six poorest countries in Africa. In total, 200,000 tons of grain were delivered as humanitarian aid to the African continent,” the minister commented.

The deliveries were carried out in cooperation with the company "Unified Grain Company" with the support of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transport. The first ship set sail on November 7th of last year. The average travel time for each ship was approximately 30-40 days. The last ship arrived in Somalia at the end of January and was already unloaded by February 17,” Patrushev shared.

So, 25,000 tons of grain were sent to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea, while 50,000 tons were sent to Somalia and the Central African Republic.

Patrushev also noted that in 2023, Russia exported over 66 million tons of grain worth nearly $16.5 billion. “In 2023, we sold over 66 million tons of grain worth around $16.5 billion. This is an absolute record for Russia. I am talking about 2023. Most of this volume consisted of wheat, corn, and barley,” Patrushev remarked.

He also emphasized that Russia maintains a leading position in the world in wheat exports and is the main supplier of this crop to countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, and China. 

“Despite a significant drop in world prices, revenues from agricultural exports continue to grow. Thus, in 2023, revenue amounted to $43.5 billion, which exceeds the export revenue figure for 2022 by $1.5 billion,” the minister added.