MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. The demand for Russia’s grain could grow now, when export grain stocks of its competitors are running out, head of the Union of Grain Exporters Eduard Zernin told TASS.

"I can only say that today we do not observe any positive changes, except for the end of export stocks of our competitors. We hope that this will spur demand for Russian grain," he said.

Zernin also noted that Russian suppliers, as part of the grain deal concluded in July, have not yet been able to solve the problems with freight, insurance, settlements with buyers and trade financing.

On July 22, a package of documents was signed in Istanbul to solve the problem of food and fertilizer supplies to world markets. The memorandum signed between Russia and the UN envisages that the UN is to join the work to remove anti-Russian restrictions which hamper exports of agricultural products and fertilizers. Another agreement regulates the procedure for the export of grain from the Black Sea ports controlled by Kiev. Created by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul is designed to inspect ships with grain in order to prevent arms smuggling and to rule out provocations.