Russia Seeks to Preserve Global Wheat Dominance Amid Black Sea Disruptions

Russia's Ministry of Agriculture and the Russian Grain Union are urging exporters to maintain the country's leading position in the global wheat market, despite challenges in Black Sea logistics. According to USDA data, Russia trailed the US in wheat exports for the first time in 2026, with a share of 18.1% compared to the US' 19.8%. In the previous year, Russia accounted for 21.3% of global shipments.

The main issue lies with restrictions on exports through the Azov-Black Sea basin, which previously handled around 90% of Russia's seaborne grain exports. To redirect shipments, Russia is increasing the use of Baltic ports and Far Eastern routes, as well as subsidizing rail transportation.

However, market participants note that these alternative routes have limited capacity and are too expensive to fully replace the Black Sea corridor. As a result, wheat exports in September were significantly lower than expected, at around 2 million tons compared to 4.6 million tons a year earlier.