Russia limits grain exports to several former Soviet republics

Russia decided to limit grain exports to four former Soviet republics to avoid shortages and rising prices.

“Russia introduces a temporary ban on grain exports to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union,” the Russian government's press service said Monday night.

The EUE is an economic alliance of five former Soviet republics (Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan).

The government also banned “the export of white sugar and raw cane sugar to third countries.”

The restrictions on cereals will be in effect until 30 June and those on sugar until 31 August, said the Russian government, explaining the decision “to protect the domestic food market from external restrictions.”

Cereals and sugar are some of the foods that have registered the highest inflation in Russia since the start of the pandemic, to the point that sugar prices were regulated by the authorities from the end of 2020 until June 2021.

For several days now, some supermarkets have been rationing certain products, including sugar. According to the Russian statistical agency Rosstat, its price soared by 13% in the week of March 5-11 alone.

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