Chinese market for Russian grain turned out to be just a dream

Although China has never been the main buyer of Russian grain, in 2025 Siberian farmers had high hopes for it. Exporters hoped to use preferences and economic zones for quick deliveries and foreign exchange earnings, but the reality turned out to be different. Logistics is complicated, banks are delaying transfers, and Chinese enterprises have lost privileges, which makes cooperation difficult and long.

As a result, deliveries to China have decreased to 56 thousand tons, while exports to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries are growing. Russian companies are forced to give grain to large exporters or look for new markets to receive foreign exchange earnings.

Experts emphasize: “We should not wait for a Chinese miracle.” Political, financial and logistical barriers have turned a promising market into a practically unattainable one for the Russian agro-industrial complex.

Tags: grain, Russia, China