Supplies of Russian grain to Africa will begin before the end of autumn

Grain deliveries from Russia to African countries will begin before the end of autumn, said Russian Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev.

“We are now completing all the documents, I think within a month or a month and a half the ships will go there,” Patrushev said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

At the end of August, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would deliver 25,000-50,000 tons of grain free of charge to six African countries in the coming months. The President noted that the grain will be transferred to African countries, despite sanctions that seriously complicate transport logistics, insurance and payments.

On July 17, Russia left the grain deal. Moscow expressed its intention to return to the agreement as soon as its conditions, spelled out in the second part of the grain agreement, which was not fulfilled, are fulfilled.

After that in the Kremlin stated about readiness to replace supplies of Ukrainian grain free of charge to needy African countries. The grain deal was concluded on July 22, 2022 by representatives of Turkey, the UN, Russia and Ukraine. Separate agreements were concluded with Moscow and Kiev: the first on the export of Ukrainian grain from three ports, including Odessa, Yuzhny and Chernomorsk, the second on assistance in the export of Russian grain and fertilizers. Moscow has repeatedly noted that the second part of the deal is not being implemented.