World meat industry news

In 2001-2014 imports of agricultural raw materials and foodstuffs (hereinafter referred to as food) to Russia significantly exceeded its exports from the country. In 2015, the difference in indicators significantly decreased, in 2016-2020. the trend has intensified. In 2021, food exports from Russia for the first time in the period considered in the study exceeded its imports; in 2022, this gap became noticeable. At the beginning of 2023, food exports also exceed its imports. In January 2023, exports in value terms amounted to 3.25 billion USD, imports - 3.16 billion USD.

Food export from Russia

The export of agricultural raw materials and food of all kinds to all countries of the world in 2022, according to the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation, reached 41.3 billion USD, which, according to AB-Center, is 14.8% (by 5.3 billion USD) higher than a year ago. Export growth in value terms in 2022 was largely driven by record high food prices in recent years.

In 2001-2005 food exports from Russia were at low levels. In 2006-2010 volumes have increased significantly. This was primarily facilitated by the expansion of logistics opportunities for grain supplies (ports of Novorossiysk, Taman).

In 2011-2014 the expansion of exports (in addition to further growth in grain exports) was largely associated with an increase in the volume of supplies of vegetable oil, oilseeds, cakes and meals to world markets.

In 2015-2016 food exports from the country have declined markedly. This, according to AB-Center, was largely due to the temporary reorientation of part of the export flows to the domestic market (during that period, the supply of food products to Russia from abroad noticeably weakened).

In 2017-2022 the expansion of exports is associated both with a further increase in the supply of grain, oilseeds, vegetable oils, fish and seafood, and with an increase in exports of some other commodity groups. For example, in recent years, Russia has significantly increased the export of meat and meat products.

In general, over the past 5 years, the cost of food exports from the country, according to AB-Center, has increased by 99.4% (by 20.6 billion USD), over 10 years - by 2.3 times (by 23.7 billion USD) . Over 20 years, the export of agricultural raw materials and foodstuffs from the Russian Federation in value terms increased by 15.7 times (by 38.6 billion USD).

In 2022, according to AB-Center, food accounted for 7.0% of the total value of exports of all goods, in January 2023 - 9.9%.

At relatively high levels (5.5% and above), the share of food in total exports has been since 2016.

Food imports to Russia

Imports of agricultural raw materials and food of all kinds in total from all countries of the world in 2022, according to the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation, amounted to 35.7 billion USD, which is 4.9% more than in 2021. At record levels, food imports into the country were in 2013, when they reached 44.1 billion USD. In 2015-2016 food imports to Russia due to a number of reasons (restrictions on the supply of most types of food from the EU, the USA, Canada and some other countries, the weakening of the ruble, an increase in the supply of domestic products) fell significantly (by 2016 it decreased to 25.1 billion USD). In 2017-2022 In general, there is a trend towards the restoration of import supplies, however, the structure of imports by type of product, by country has undergone significant changes.

In 2022, the share of food, according to AB-Center, accounted for 13.8% of the total value of imports of all goods, in January 2023 - 14.2%. At the highest levels for the entire period considered in the study, this indicator was in the early 2000s. - accounted for more than 1/5 of all imports in value terms.