MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Barley exports from Russia to Saudi Arabia increased by 70% year-on-year in 2024, to 2.17 million tons, the Federal Center for Assessment of Safety and Quality of Agricultural Products told TASS.
"The Russian Federation is one of the key suppliers of barley to the Kingdom. <…> In 2024, barley supplies increased by 70% compared to the previous year, to 2.17 million tons, and in 2025 (as of the end of February), the volume of barley exports already amounts to 263,600 tons," the report says.
Currently, Russia practically does not supply corn to Saudi Arabia, despite the high demand for it in the country. A single shipment of 12,000 tons of corn to Saudi Arabia from Russia took place in 2023.
"Then the deliveries were suspended. Tariff or non-tariff barriers that impede exports may be a possible restriction for the import of Russian corn," the report says.
According to Ruslan Khasanov, Director of the Federal Center for Assessment of Safety and Quality of Agricultural Products, supplies of corn to the Saudi market will allow Russia to diversify the products it supplies, supplementing traditional supplies of wheat and barley with a new, popular grain crop, and for domestic exporters to strengthen their positions in the Middle East.
"To successfully develop this area, it is necessary to take into account the phytosanitary requirements of Saudi Arabia, build effective logistics chains and actively interact with importers," the expert stressed.