Since the start of Russian invasion of Ukraine, experts have been raising concerns of shortage of essential food in many of the poorer countries.
In the wake of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, one of President Vladimir Putin's friends warned on Friday that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, may limit agricultural commodity supply to "friendly" countries alone.
Given the sanctions imposed, Dmitry Medvedev, who was president from 2008 to 2012 and is currently deputy secretary of Russia's security council, said he would want to highlight "some simple but significant aspects about food security in Russia."
For years, the majority of them have been a component of the country's agricultural policy.
"We will only be supplying food and agriculture products to our friends," Medvedev said on social media. "Fortunately we have plenty of them, and they are not in Europe or North America at all."
Wheat is currently supplied primarily to Africa and the Middle East by Russia. In the wheat trade, its primary competitors are the European Union and Ukraine.
According to Medvedev, Russia's internal market and price control inside it are the top priorities in terms of food supply. Since 2021, Russia has used grain export quotas and taxes to try to control high domestic food inflation.
Agriculture supplies to "friends" will be made in a proportional mix of roubles and their national currencies, according to Medvedev.
Payment currency can already vary depending on the needs of buyers and sellers in each grain export deal. However, Medvedev's remark follows Russia's previous demand that international customers pay in roubles for Russian gas.
When Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, it prohibited most Western food imports, but Medvedev said that the list might be expanded further now.
Last month, many multinational companies, such as chocolate producers, ceased sales of their goods in Russia.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
In the wake of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, one of President Vladimir Putin's friends warned on Friday that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, may limit agricultural commodity supply to "friendly" countries alone.
Given the sanctions imposed, Dmitry Medvedev, who was president from 2008 to 2012 and is currently deputy secretary of Russia's security council, said he would want to highlight "some simple but significant aspects about food security in Russia."
For years, the majority of them have been a component of the country's agricultural policy.
"We will only be supplying food and agriculture products to our friends," Medvedev said on social media. "Fortunately we have plenty of them, and they are not in Europe or North America at all."
Wheat is currently supplied primarily to Africa and the Middle East by Russia. In the wheat trade, its primary competitors are the European Union and Ukraine.
According to Medvedev, Russia's internal market and price control inside it are the top priorities in terms of food supply. Since 2021, Russia has used grain export quotas and taxes to try to control high domestic food inflation.
Agriculture supplies to "friends" will be made in a proportional mix of roubles and their national currencies, according to Medvedev.
Payment currency can already vary depending on the needs of buyers and sellers in each grain export deal. However, Medvedev's remark follows Russia's previous demand that international customers pay in roubles for Russian gas.
When Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, it prohibited most Western food imports, but Medvedev said that the list might be expanded further now.
Last month, many multinational companies, such as chocolate producers, ceased sales of their goods in Russia.
(Source:www.reuters.com)