Poor harvest in Russia could limit grain exports and further aggravate global food crisis

Russia has harvested less grain this year than in 2021, threatening how much it can export to the global market, according to remarks by Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev this week. Citing heavy rains in some regions, Patrushev warned that the poor harvest could force the government to revise its plans to export 50 million tons of grain between July 2022 and June 2023. (Earlier this summer, Vladimir Putin denied any harvest problems and said Russia would be exporting as much as 50 million tons this season.)

Also on August 5, the newspaper Kommersant reported that the Agriculture Ministry urged regional officials to prepare for a possible Russian ban on seed imports from the EU and United States. In response to Western sanctions, Russian officials are reportedly considering a prohibition on the import of seeds from the West. (Russia currently imports large percentages of its seeds for sugar beets, sunflowers, corn, and potatoes.)

Like Ukraine, Russia is one of the largest grain exporters in the world. The invasion of Ukraine has crippled that country’s agricultural industry and endangers the global food supply.