Exports of agricultural products from Russia to China increased by almost 40%

From January to April 2026, the People's Republic of China (PRC) imported almost 4 million tons of agricultural goods from Russia, which is 38% more than in the same period last year. Analysts of the Rosselkhoznadzor's Center for Industry Expertise told Izvestia about this on May 28.

According to their forecasts, if such dynamics continue throughout the year, the volume of Russian supplies of agricultural products to the Chinese market may reach a historic maximum.

"The top three domestic agricultural exports to China were frozen pollock (17% of all shipments, an increase in this commodity item reached 72% over the year), raw rapeseed oil (16% and 50%, respectively) and crabs (13% and 33%). Russia is also actively selling flax seeds, soybeans, cod, dried peas, raw sunflower oil, rapeseed cake and fish meal on the Chinese market," the analysts said.

Experts called it noteworthy that almost all regions of the country are involved in the deliveries. The largest contribution to agricultural exports has traditionally been made by the Southern, Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts.

In January–April, about 600 thousand tons of agricultural products (mainly legumes and oilseeds) left the ports of Kuban for China, which is 70% higher than the value of the same period last year. At the same time, Siberia and the Far East increased supplies of rapeseed oil, soybeans, fish and seafood.

The increase in Chinese agricultural exports from Russia is explained by a number of interrelated factors and conditions that experts have listed.

"Firstly, the growing demand. China is the second most populous country on the planet with almost one and a half billion people, a dynamically developing economy and a large domestic market. Secondly, the food security strategy and China's trade policy.<...> Thirdly, the increase in the popularity of packaged products," the Rosselkhoznadzor's Center for Industry Expertise said.

They also noted that the growth of Russian exports to China is also associated with active government support for exports in Russia. In recent years, the increase in port facilities and railway capacity at border crossings has significantly facilitated logistics.

Not only grain: what will Russian agricultural exports look like in 2026

Russia is diversifying its sales markets

Kirill Dmitriev, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign countries, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), told Izvestia on May 20 that Russia and China have the potential to multiply their interstate business partnership. In this regard, according to him, Beijing is particularly interested in cooperation in the agricultural sector.

A few days earlier, employees of the Agroexport Federal Center shared with Izvestia statistics on the export of Russian fertilizers for the first quarter of 2026. So, based on the data provided, shipments of potash fertilizers in the first quarter increased by 45% compared to the same period in 2025. The main market where such a product was sold was Chinese.