Russia exported 2.43 million tonnes of wheat in September to countries outside the CIS, over 40 percent of the year-to-date total, as shipments continued rising after the removal of a prohibitive export tariff in July.

 

The surge in exports narrowed the year-on-year decline to 18.5 percent in the first nine months of the year 34.1 percent a month ago and 71.5 percent in the first half of 2008, customs data released on Friday showed. Russia exported 5.98 million tonnes of wheat to countries outside the CIS and 6.61 million in total in January-September 2008, the data the Federal Customs Service (FCS) showed.

 

Exports outside the CIS rose to $1.61 billion, up marginally $1.60 billion in the same period a year ago, despite the lower volumes. Total wheat imports fell to 133,800 tonnes in January-September 434,800 tonnes a year earlier. Practically all wheat imports were within the CIS. Nine-month barley import volumes outside the CIS fell 69 percent year-on-year to 67,200 tonnes.

 

Non-CIS maize imports rose 56 percent to 38,600 tonnes. Total sunflower oil imports fell 0.6 percent in volume. Russian red meat import volumes outside the CIS rose 25.8 percent in January-September and, at $3.46 billion, were worth 53.5 percent more than a year ago. Poultry import volumes fell 2.5 percent, but higher prices meant they were worth 29.0 percent more in dollar terms.