MOSCOW: It is too early to draw conclusions about revitalization of Russian wheat exports to Turkey after Turkey cancelled duties, press service of the Southern Customs Directorate of Russian Federal Customs Service told TASS. “It is too early to draw conclusions about reduction of exports to Turkey or about revitalization of exports after the duty were cancelled,” the press service said, noting that export of wheat to Turkey through the south of Russia began to decline even before the introduction of duty. “Decline of the volume of wheat exports against previous year was observed in January-February 2017 (148,000 and 75,500 tonnes, respectively) and is not associated with the introduction of an import duty on Russian wheat,” the press service said.
According to the press service, the average monthly physical volumes of wheat exports in 2016 totaled 213,000 tonnes, in January-April 2017 – 163,000 tonnes. In March 2017 almost 322,000 tonnes were exported (up to March 15 – 127,000 tons and after March 15 – 195 thousand tons), in April 2017 – 55,000 tonnes. After the duty was cancelled, as of May 15, 2017, 5,100 tonnes of wheat were exported through the southern customs. TASS reported earlier that the first cargo ship left from the port of Rostov-on-Don on May 11 with wheat after Turkey cancelled increased import duties for Russian agricultural products. The cargo reached 3,000 tonnes.
