Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih will discuss the development of bilateral relations, including agricultural trade, during their meeting on Thursday, the Russian ministry said, according to Investing.com Russia.
In August, Saudi Arabia decided to relax its bug-damage specifications for wheat imports, opening the door to Black Sea imports and strengthening ties with Russia beyond energy cooperation.
The two ministers will meet as part of Patrushev’s visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the ministry added. Patrushev will also meet his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Abdulrahman al-Fadhli, and visit one of Saudi Arabia’s agriculture companies.
Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, has long sought access to Saudi Arabia’s wheat market as Moscow tries to take further market share in Middle Eastern and North African wheat markets from the European Union and the United States.
After Saudi Arabia said in August it would relax its limits for bug-damage in hard wheat to 0.5% from 0% from its next tender, a Russian industry source told Reuters that Moscow would continue to press Saudi Arabia to reduce the bug damage level to 1%.
The change in these specifications has had wider implications as Riyadh – which regards the United States as its most important ally – moves closer to Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to visit Saudi Arabia in October.
A delegation from Russia which includes major Russian grain, meat and dairy companies has also arrived with Patrushev to Saudi Arabia, the Russian ministry said. It did not disclose their names.
