Russia exported 78.5 percent more wheat outside the CIS in the first nine months of 2009 than in the same period a year ago, a much narrower gap than a sixfold increase seen in the first half of the year, when comparisons were skewed by a 2008 export freeze.
Nine-month export revenues were only 8.1 percent above year-ago levels, compared with a more than threefold difference recorded in the first six months of the year, customs data released on Friday showed. The year-on-year difference in the first six months of 2009 was greater because Russia imposed export tariffs high enough to halt wheat exports from February 2008 until July 1, 2008.
The gap in volumes has since narrowed, reflecting the resumption of shipments from July 1, 2008. The gap in export revenues narrowed further as grain prices spiked a year ago. Russia exported 10.67 million tonnes of wheat to countries outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the nine months from January to September 2009, compared with 5.98 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier.
Revenues earned from these sales rose to $1.74 billion from $1.61 billion. Russia harvested 108.1 million tonnes of grain in 2008, its biggest crop since 1990, and monthly wheat export volumes peaked at 2.43 million tonnes in September 2008, after the harvest. Total wheat export volumes in the first nine months of 2009, including the CIS, rose 79.8 percent to 11.89 million tonnes. Revenues rose to $1.96 billion from $1.78 billion.
Imports of agricultural products declined sharply in January-September 2009, largely as a result of reduced demand during the world economic slowdown. Russia imported just 2,900 tonnes of barley from outside the CIS, compared with 67,200 tonnes a year earlier. Non-CIS maize imports dropped 55.4 percent to 17,200 tonnes. Non-CIS red meat import volumes fell 26.5 percent to 861,900 tonnes and their value fell 18.6 percent to $2.82 billion. Poultry import volumes fell 27.1 percent year-on-year to 649,700 tonnes and cost 23.2 percent less in dollar terms.