MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st August, 2023) Russian state-owned United Grain Company (OZK) said on Monday that it had shipped more than 100,000 tonnes of grain to African countries since the start of the 2023-2024 agricultural year, which began on July 1.
"OZK Group representatives ... informed (Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev) about the company's activities on the African continent, as well as about the delivery of more than 100,000 tonnes of grain to African countries at the start of the agricultural season," the company said in a statement.
African countries are among the priority destinations for Russian grain exports in general and OZK Group in particular, the company said, adding that its export geography includes Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, South Africa and other African countries.
"Over the past five years, we have delivered grain to more than 10 African countries. With all of them, except Egypt, we worked through international traders. The changed geopolitical situation has become a great incentive for building a direct dialogue. And now we have the opportunity to offer our partners from the African continent an individual approach, we can discuss with them their needs in terms of volume and quality of grain, method and payment options," OZK Deputy General Director Ksenia Bolomatova was quoted as saying in the statement.
United Grain Company was founded in 2009 to support domestic farmers and develop the grain market infrastructure. OZK is a state grain operator and an agent for conducting public procurement and commodity intervention. The Russian state owns 50% plus one share in the company.
