Russia has fewer wheat buyers as Black Sea trade stalls, data shows

By Olga Popova

MOSCOW, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Fewer countries are buying Russian wheat after attacks by Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea have kept a key export route closed since July, data from the Russian Grain Union lobby group showed on Wednesday.

The data showed that only eight countries bought wheat from Russia, the world's biggest wheat exporter, in September, down from 26 a year earlier. In August, the number of buyers fell to 16 from 43 in the same month of 2025.

Yelena Tyurina, chief analyst at the Russian Grain Union, told Reuters that Egypt remained the largest buyer of Russian wheat, but its purchases between September 10 and September 20 were 3.6 times lower than a year earlier.

Kenya and Yemen were the next-largest buyers and also reduced purchases. Tyurina estimated Russia's wheat exports would total only 1 million metric tons in September, down from 5.7 million tons in September 2025.

Major wheat importers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa that rely on Black Sea supplies have struggled to secure cargoes, helping drive prices higher.

Russia is seeking to reroute agricultural exports away from the Black Sea through Baltic and Arctic ports, repurposing fertiliser and coal terminals to handle grain shipped by rail from southern Russia.

The export disruption has created a surplus on the domestic market, increased unsold inventories and pushed local prices lower. Russia's central bank warned on Wednesday that prolonged disruption could affect agricultural output.

Consultancy Sovecon said that winter sowing was running 14% behind last year's pace. It estimated the area sown so far was the smallest for this stage of the season since 2013, when heavy rains disrupted planting.