Foreign Trade: Russian Agricultural Exports to Africa Increase by 35% in the First Half of 2026

The physical volumes transported by cargo have exceeded 11 million tons, marking a 40% increase. Wheat remains the dominant product of deliveries, with 10.2 million tons shipped, accounting for over 90% of grain cargoes. The Russian offer also includes barley, totaling 234,000 tons, soybean oil, totaling 158,000 tons, as well as sunflower flour and meal, totaling over 95,000 tons.

The geography of deliveries highlights the predominant anchorage of North African ports. Egypt confirms its status as the leading regional customer, absorbing 44% of total tonnage, or 4.9 million tons received, compared to 3.8 million tons in the same period a year earlier. Sudan ranks second in terms of receipts, while Kenya has seen a 9.5-fold increase in volumes received, capturing 10% of flows. The commercial penetration is based on the memory of a 2024 fiscal year that was already up 19% with $7 billion in trade, coupled with a 2024/2025 campaign where the delivery of 13.5 million tons of wheat ensured Moscow 40% of the Maghreb market share, compared to the 25% held by European Union producers.

The expansion of operations now targets the livestock and meat processing segment. In 2025, poultry meat exports to sub-Saharan African markets generated over $50 million in revenue, feeding distribution networks in Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, and Guinea. Moscow's aggressive tariff strategy is transforming cereal dependence into a lever for sustainable economic anchorage in the face of South American competitors.

The increased dependence of African countries on Black Sea cereals exposes national budgets to the risks of maritime routes and international financial sanctions. To ensure food security for populations without depleting foreign exchange reserves, governments on the continent must imperatively accelerate funding for local cereal value chains and encourage the consumption of substitute flours. Food sovereignty remains a theoretical objective as long as the coverage of basic needs depends on the surpluses of major agricultural powers.

Nlend Flore