Number of countries buying Russian wheat drops to 26

The number of countries importing Russian wheat has declined from 28 to 26, while the number of exporting companies fell from 32 to 28, Interfax reports, citing the Russian Grain Union (RGU).

Between March 1 and 20, Russia exported 3.1 million tonnes of wheat—2.7 times more than during the same period last year.

According to Yelena Tyurina, director of the RGU’s analytical department, total grain exports reached 3.5 million tonnes, three times higher than in March 2025. Corn shipments rose to 251,000 tonnes and barley to 134,300 tonnes.

Major export destinations included:

• Egypt – 695,000 tonnes (+3.7× year-on-year)
• Türkiye – 314,000 tonnes (+3.4×)
• Sudan – 269,000 tonnes (+2×)

Additionally, several countries imported Russian wheat in March 2026 for the first time in a year: Tanzania (142,000 tonnes), Algeria (117,000 tonnes), Sri Lanka (96,500 tonnes), and Oman (86,000 tonnes). Lebanon nearly doubled its purchases to 83,000 tonnes.