Opinion
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Russian Grain Supplies to Somalia Cover 23% of Its Total Annual Demand for Wheat, FAO Official Says

Since the summer of 2023, Russia has delivered 200,000 tonnes of grain free of charge to Somalia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, and the Central African Republic.
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Russian grain supplies to Somalia covered 23% of its total annual demand for wheat, Head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Russian branch Oleg Kobyakov told Sputnik Africa.

"Thus, in Somalia, the supplies covered 23% of the total annual demand for wheat. The deficit amounted to 115,000 tonnes. For Burkina Faso, this figure is 9%, and for Mali – 6%," he said.

Commenting on the current supplies of Russian fertilizers to some African countries, Oleg Kobyakov stressed that these products are "among the most important and promising for next season's production."

BRICS Grain Exchange: Possible Benefits

Establishing BRICS grain exchange will help stabilize markets, Kobyakov added, noting that once established, such an institution "would bring together the largest buyers and exporters of grain in the world."
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He noted that today "only the Chicago Stock Exchange actually dictates wheat prices to the whole world."
According to him, the possible BRICS grain exchange would ensure "better predictability of the market for the next season."
"And, of course, the growth of this second global grain center will lower prices in the more distant perspective," the official highlighted.
In early March, Kobyakov told a Russian media that FAO is willing to work more closely with Russia in Africa.