Miller Magazine Issue: 149 May 2022

82 COVER STORY MILLER / MAY 2022 MAJOR IMPORTERS OF RUSSIAN WHEAT After the start of the war on 24 February 2022 and till the end of April 2022, Turkey, Egypt and Iran remained the major importers of Russian wheat. Egypt and Turkey are historically in the TOP-3 world wheat importers. Egypt relies 40-50% on Russian wheat, Tur- key is 65-70% dependent on Russian. These are price-sensitive markets and Russian wheat is traditionally the best option for them due to its price and close location. As the behavior of Rus- sia is unpredictable, currently, they are “hostages” of the situation and trying now to take as much wheat as possible from Russia. Currently, Egypt is active- ly diversifying the origins of wheat for purchase. Russia tells it can feed Africa with its wheat, and China with Ukrainian corn Currently, Ukraine is working hard to develop its grains export over the land routes, and multinational companies are buying its origin sometimes at a 30 Euro discount to EU origin due to war risks. Here- with, the European Commission has proposed to suspend for one-year import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union. It has also started liberalizing the conditions for Ukrainian truck drivers transporting goods between Ukraine and the EU, as well as facilitating transit and the use of EU infrastructure to channel Ukrainian exports towards third coun- tries. Meanwhile, Russia, who cut Ukraine from the sea export routes, tells it has enough Russian wheat to feed Africa. But all we remember very good how at the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia told that it will not hit civilians. After all that, the member of the Atria team was