Wheat Exports from russia Have Plummeted

9/24/2026

russia is losing buyers for its wheat. In September, only 8 countries are purchasing its grain, compared with 26 during the same period last year. Back in July, 23 countries were buying russian wheat, compared with 27 a year earlier, but following restrictions on shipping in the Sea of Azov, the situation began to deteriorate rapidly.

In August, the number of buyers fell to 16, compared with 43 a year earlier. By the middle of the month, ports in the Azov-Black Sea basin had almost completely halted grain shipments. russia redirected some of its exports via Baltic ports, but this did not help to offset the losses.

In September, the volume of shipments is likely to amount to around 1 million tons. A year ago, russia exported 5.7 million tons during this month.

Even the main buyers have sharply reduced their purchases. In the second ten-day period of September, Egypt received 81,000 tons of russian wheat – 3.6 times less than in the same period last year. Kenya purchased 50,000 tons, which is 2.3 times less, whilst Yemen purchased 32,400 tons, or 1.6 times less.

Export problems are compounded by the slow pace of preparations for the new harvest. As of September 18, 6.1 million hectares had been sown with winter grains in russia, compared with 7.1 million a year earlier. The sowing rate is by 14% lower than last year’s and by 25% worse than the average for the last five years. This is the worst result since at least 2013.

Wheat accounts for around 90% of the area sown with winter grains in russia. At the same time, export restrictions are already putting pressure on the domestic market: grain prices have fallen 20–30% below the break-even point.

russia is losing sales markets, export revenue and the profitability of grain production – export problems will increasingly affect not just trade, but the agricultural sector itself.