Lavrov: Russia exported 23 mln metric tons of grain without UN help

Russia has supplied 23 mln metric tons of grain and 20 mln metric tons of fertilizers to global markets without the help of the UN, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in the article posted on Thursday on the ministry’s website, according to TASS. 

Russia boosted wheat exports to Latin America and the Caribbean Region by almost 1.5 times in 2022, the Minister said. "I would like to note incidentally that we delivered 23 mln metric tons of grain and 20 mln metric tons of fertilizers to international markets without any help from the UN. This does not include dozens of thousands of metric tons of fertilizers the West is blocking in its ports, without taking in consideration the ‘Black Sea package’ achieved on the initiative of the UN Secretary General in Istanbul," the top Russian diplomat added.

Russia expressed readiness to distribute its products among the poorest nations but this initiative also faced obstacles, Lavrov noted.

Despite sanctions against Russia and the political pressure from the West, total Russian exports to Latin American and Caribbean countries gained 3.8% as of the end of the last year and deliveries of fertilizers and petroleum products moved up, the minister stressed.