Russia is not interested in extending the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as the country's grain exports have not dropped since July, Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Sunday, adding that Russia exported over 30 million tonnes of grain, as of mid-December.
After the arrangement ended in July, Russia opposed its extension, since in reality the deal covered the commercial shipment of the grain to well-fed countries.
"We are not interested in renewing the grain deal," Patrushev told journalists on the sidelines of a summit of the ruling United Russia party, explaining that "our grain exports, given the shutdown of the grain deal, did not fall in any way, and even increased. Already, according to the data as of mid-December, more than 30 million tonnes have been exported within this agricultural year, which is more than in the same period last year."
The Russian agriculture minister also said that the decision not to extend the grain deal was "political" and that Russia will continue supplying grain to those who need it.
In July, the Turkey- and UN-mediated Black Sea Grain Initiative, which provided for a humanitarian corridor to allow exports of Ukrainian grain over the past year, expired, as Russia did not renew its participation.
Moscow said that the deal's component on facilitating Russian grain and fertilizer exports had not been fulfilled and that most of the supplies were ending up in rich European states instead of poor countries in Africa.
After the deal expired, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave assurances that Moscow would continue to supply grain and fertilizers to African countries despite sanctions.
Russia has fulfilled its promises: Somalia has already received 25,000 tons of humanitarian wheat from Russia, and a similar cargo is expected to arrive in Mali and Burkina Faso soon.