A dispute with Russian federal authorities has halted the processing and shipment of approximately 400,000 metric tons of grain destined for buyers, according to the owner of one of Russia’s major grain exporters, TD RIF, as reported by Reuters. The conflict arose after Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia’s agricultural watchdog, raised concerns about the quality of Russian grain not meeting quarantine requirements, including supplies from RIF.
The standoff has led to at least 15 ships being stranded, impacting the flow of wheat from Russia, the world’s leading exporter, and contributing to a rise in global wheat futures prices. TD RIF owner Petr Khodykin emphasized that the grain quality remains uncompromised, with loaded ships awaiting processing amid the dispute. Last year, RIF exported 12 million tons of grain and ranked second in terms of Russian grain export volumes for the current marketing season. Efforts to resolve the impasse include appeals to Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, and Rostov Region Governor Vasily Golubev.
In response to the situation, Russia’s agricultural watchdog proposed quota redistribution among grain exporters in cases of systemic failures like those observed at TD RIF. Rosselkhoznadzor reported that a significant portion of grain export consignments from TD RIF since the start of 2024 had been deemed non-compliant with importing countries’ requirements, raising concerns about the impact on Russia’s grain exports and trade relationships.