Egypt, often the world's top wheat buyer, saw a rise in imports of the grain from Russia in March despite supply and payment disruptions following its invasion of Ukraine that also drove traders to seek shipments from other suppliers.
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Egypt received 479,195 tonnes of wheat from Russia in March, 24% up from the same month last year, according to freight data seen by Reuters. Ukrainian wheat imports stood at 124,500 tonnes, down 42% year-on-year.
Egypt relies heavily on Black Sea wheat due to its quality, cost and proximity, traders say. In 2021, Egypt imported around 80% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine.
Since the Feb. 24 invasion, wheat importers in Egypt have faced record-high prices, payment complications due to sanctions against Russia, and disruptions to Black Sea wheat shipments, especially from Ukraine.