In response to Kazakhstan’s recent decision to halt the import of Russian wheat by all types of transport, farmers from Omsk Oblast have successfully opened new export channels to South Korea and India. This strategic move was announced by Nikolai Drofa, the region’s Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Processing Industry.

“With Kazakhstan closing its borders to Russian wheat, we’ve had to adapt quickly,” said Minister Drofa. “We’re pleased to announce that South Korea and India are now new markets for our agricultural products. South Korea alone has expressed interest in importing up to 1 million tons of Omsk wheat, marking a significant milestone for our region’s agricultural export sector.” In addition to expanding into South Korea and India, the export of legumes to China has seen considerable growth. “China is shifting from Canadian suppliers to Russian ones, providing another opportunity for Omsk farmers to strengthen their position in the international market,” Drofa added.

These new export avenues have significantly boosted the region’s agricultural trade. For the first seven months of this year, Omsk Oblast’s agricultural exports reached a value of 247.8 million US dollars, an increase of nearly 18% compared to the same period last year. Grain exports accounted for the largest share at $110.9 million, followed by products from the food and processing industry ($50.1 million) and the oil and fat industry ($19.2 million). The Omsk department of Rosselkhoznadzor has reported that nearly 670 thousand tons of agricultural products were exported during this period. Notably, seed exports have shown remarkable growth, with 33.3 thousand tons being shipped out—a 2.5-fold increase from the previous year.

Despite challenges such as an abnormally dry summer that reduced the grain and leguminous crop harvest from the usual 3 million tons to 2.5 million tons, Omsk Oblast remains one of Siberia’s leading agricultural regions. The swift pivot to new export markets is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the region’s farmers. This press release can be found on the official Omsk Oblast government website and through major agricultural news outlets.