Dmitry Patrushev: The Russian Federation still maintains a ban on rice exports, but sees prospects for supplies

Russia will maintain a ban on rice exports for now, but sees good prospects for it in the future, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said during the All-Russian Grain Forum.

A ban on the export of rice and rice cereals was introduced on July 1, 2022 after the accident at the Fedorovsky hydroelectric complex in Kuban; it has been extended several times and is now valid until June 31, 2024. Dmitry Patrushev recalled that due to the accident at the hydroelectric complex, the volumes of both sowing and rice production fell very seriously, and therefore the authorities were forced to close exports.

“Now our rice production volumes are increasing, but they have not yet reached the levels that would allow us to feel comfortable on the domestic market. Therefore, as for rice, we will continue our decisions on the ban for now,” the Deputy Prime Minister explained.

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation previously set the task of increasing the gross rice harvest in 2027 to 2 million tons, including for export purposes.

“We understand that rice is a good crop from an export point of view. We plan to increase the volume of rice production to at least 2 million tons in the near future with the expectation that our exporters will be able to export this crop,” Dmitry Patrushev confirmed these plans.

The gross rice harvest in the Russian Federation in 2022 decreased by 14.5%, to 920 thousand tons (in 2021 it amounted to 1.076 million tons). In 2023, according to Rosstat, 1.066 million tons of rice were harvested, 15.8% higher than in 2022.