The introduction of a zero quota for soybeans will not have a negative impact on farmers, according to experts. The import was already low.

The ban on importing soybean seeds from unfriendly countries will not lead to a shortage of soybean seeds and will not have a negative impact on soybean production in Russia. Experts note that the volume of soybean seed imports compared to other crops is relatively small. In 2023, the import of seeds amounted to 675.5 tons, which is only 0.2% of the total demand of the Russian market (398.5 thousand tons).

"The cultivation of soybeans is different in that the majority of seeds (including foreign varieties) are multiplied within farms: in traditional soybean clusters in the Far East, over 70% of soybean seeds are produced on farms, which mostly use varieties developed by the Soy Research Institute. In the Central Federal District, this number is 35-40%. With proper care and seed selection, reproduction can continue for several years," experts say.

According to the data from the Russian Agricultural Center, in 2023, the most popular soybean variety by planting volumes was the Russian variety Belgorodskaya 7, followed by the Canadian variety OAC Prudens in second place, and another Canadian variety, Siberia, in third place.

The Russian government has introduced quotas on the import of agricultural crop seeds from unfriendly countries, which will be in effect until the end of 2024. A zero quota has been set for soybeans.

Earlier, the president of the Russian Soybean Union, Alexander Sanakin, stated that restricting Russian farmers' access to foreign breeding will lead to a decrease in the quality of soybean crops and will negatively impact the potential for exporting soybeans to China.