Kremlin urges exporters to maintain Russia’s leading position in the global wheat market

The Kremlin is urging Russian grain exporters and producers to find ways to maintain Russia’s leading position in the global wheat market amid problems with Black Sea logistics, Bloomberg reports. According to USDA data, Russia had long been the world’s largest wheat exporter, but in 2026 it began trailing the US in terms of its share of global exports. Russia’s share fell to 18.1%, compared with 19.8% for the US, while Russia accounted for 21.3% of global shipments in MY 2024/25.

In August and September, Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Russian Grain Union held meetings with the country’s largest grain exporters. According to Bloomberg, market participants were tasked with finding ways to preserve the country’s share of global wheat trade.

The main challenge remains restrictions on exports through the Azov-Black Sea basin. Last season, around 90% of Russia’s seaborne grain exports moved through this route, while the capacity of alternative routes remains significantly lower.

To redirect shipments, Russia is increasing the use of Baltic ports and Far Eastern routes, subsidizing rail transportation and considering the development of new port capacity in Vladivostok. However, market participants say the high cost and limited capacity of these routes do not allow them to fully replace the Black Sea corridor.

SovEcon estimates Russia’s wheat exports in September at around 2 mln tons, compared with 4.6 mln tons a year earlier. Analysts attribute the weak pace of shipments to prolonged disruptions at ports in the Azov-Black Sea basin.

Tags: Russia, export, wheat, global market