Russia and Bahrain agree to establish a wheat trading center in the Arabian Gulf
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday, June 20, a joint plan between Russia and Bahrain to establish a comprehensive wheat trading center in the Arabian Gulf region, during his participation in an economic forum in St. Petersburg.
The announcement came during Putin's speech, where he emphasized that "Russia, as the world's largest wheat exporter, plans with its friends in Bahrain to establish an integrated center for wheat supply from Russia," noting that "many countries in the Arab world are very interested in this matter."
Bahraini National Security Advisor Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa was present at the session, confirming the enhancement of cooperation between the two countries in this field.
This project comes at a time when major Arab countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria heavily rely on Russian wheat, which is exported through Moscow ports on the Black Sea. However, direct supplies face logistical challenges and payment obstacles due to Western sanctions imposed on Russian shipping and banks.
On the other hand, Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut revealed on Friday that her country aims to export 45 million tons of wheat during the upcoming marketing season starting on July 1, a slight increase from the current season.
