Russia’s state grain purchases may begin in late October, agriculture minister says
In short
Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said state grain purchases for the intervention fund could start from late October, after the budget was agreed. She said a bank still has to be selected and elevators are being chosen, with owners so far offering storage for 1.3 million tonnes against a needed 3 million tonnes. The purchases, planned for 2026-2027 in 14 regions and 3 million tonnes in volume, are meant to support farmers facing difficulties exporting grain.
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State grain purchases on the Russian market could begin from late October, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said, according to TASS, Interfax and Kommersant. “The budget was agreed for us. So I hope that procedurally — right now we have to select a bank and from late October we should start buying,” Lut said, as quoted by Interfax at the Bioprom-2026 forum. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Lut said the selection of elevators is still under way. “First we need to select elevators; there were too few of the previously selected elevators. We need elevators for 3 million tonnes, but so far the owners have given us [storage for] 1.3 million tonnes. So we will announce a second tender to make up to 3 million tonnes,” she said, according to Interfax. TASS noted that difficulties with elevators remain. [ 1 , 2 ]
Interfax reported that the agriculture ministry plans the purchases of wheat and rye for 2026-2027 in 14 regions, with a volume of 3 million tonnes, to support producers after farmers ran into difficulties selling grain. The outlet attributed the difficulties to logistics problems in the Azov-Black Sea basin. Kommersant said the purchases are meant to support farmers facing export difficulties and cited attacks on ships in the Black Sea and on grain terminals in Novorossiysk as one of the reasons export capacity was limited. [ 2 , 3 ]
Interfax reported that President Vladimir Putin backed the purchases and issued a corresponding instruction to the government. The intervention agent, United Grain Company, is selecting keepers of the state grain fund on the ministry’s instructions in 14 regions: Krasnodar and Stavropol territories and the Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Tambov, Ryazan, Volgograd, Rostov, Orenburg, Penza, Samara, Saratov and Ulyanovsk regions. [ 2 ]
Interfax reported the state fund holds 3.7 million tonnes, with more than 3.6 million tonnes of that food wheat, stored at 147 specialised facilities in 22 regions and distributed across the Siberian, Volga, Ural, Central and Southern federal districts, with main reserves in Siberia and the Volga region. Purchase and sale interventions have operated in Russia since 2001, both Interfax and Kommersant noted, with the state buying up surplus grain to remove it from the market and halt price declines. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The planned purchases are intended to support Russian farmers who the documents say are struggling to sell grain because of limited export routes. The timing depends on procedural steps the agriculture ministry has not finished — selecting a bank and enough elevators to store 3 million tonnes. If the volumes are reached, the intervention would put a state buyer into a market the documents describe as constrained on the export side.
Key facts
- Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said state grain purchases could begin from late October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Lut said the budget had been agreed and that a bank still had to be selected before purchases start. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Elevator selection is under way; owners have offered storage for 1.3 million tonnes, short of the 3 million tonnes needed, and a second tender is planned. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Interfax reported the purchases are planned for 2026-2027 in 14 regions, with a volume of 3 million tonnes of wheat and rye. [ 2 ]
- Interfax reported that President Vladimir Putin backed the purchases and instructed the government accordingly. [ 2 ]
- The agent for the interventions, United Grain Company, is selecting grain keepers for the state fund in 14 listed regions. [ 2 ]
- Interfax reported the state fund holds 3.7 million tonnes, more than 3.6 million tonnes of it food wheat, at 147 facilities in 22 regions. [ 2 ]
- The mechanism of purchase and sale interventions has operated in Russia since 2001. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- State grain purchases may begin from late October, according to Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The budget has been agreed and a bank still needs to be selected before purchases can start. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Elevator selection is ongoing and a second tender is planned to reach 3 million tonnes of storage, after owners offered 1.3 million tonnes. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The intervention mechanism has existed in Russia since 2001. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether purchases will actually start in late October. Lut said the ministry “hopes” to start then and that purchases “should” begin, with the bank selection not yet completed, so the date is a stated intention rather than a fixed schedule.
- What caused farmers’ difficulties in selling grain abroad. Interfax cites logistics problems in the Azov-Black Sea basin, while Kommersant cites attacks on ships in the Black Sea and on grain terminals in Novorossiysk; the outlets describe the causes differently.
- The exact status of the elevator tender. Interfax says selection is under way and a second tender will be announced, while Kommersant says the ministry has begun accepting applications for elevators.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that state grain purchases in Russia may begin from late October, citing Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut, who noted continuing difficulties with elevators. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports Lut’s remarks at the Bioprom-2026 forum: the budget is agreed, a bank must still be selected, and elevators offered so far cover 1.3 million tonnes of the 3 million tonnes needed. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports the same remarks and cites attacks on ships in the Black Sea and on Novorossiysk grain terminals as one reason for farmers’ export difficulties. [ 3 ]