Rabat – Russia is ready to supply Morocco with wheat at “reasonable prices,” Russian ambassador to Morocco Vladimir Baibakov has said.
In an interview with Russia news agency, or TASS last week, the ambassador stressed his country’s willingness to cooperate with Morocco in the sector amid “the exacerbation of the energy and food crisis.”
“We are ready to supply wheat at a reasonable price to the kingdom,” the envoy said, noting that such a partnership is particularly important amid such global crises.
Recalling the already solid partnership and trade partnership between the two countries, Baibakov stressed that the two countries “buy goods that are most demanded on their markets from each other.”
Moroccan imports from Russia include coal and petroleum products, while Russia’s imports cover citrus fruits and fish.
The Russian ambassador also stressed Morocco’s position, describing it among Russia’s leading trade and economic partners in Africa.
“In 2022, the kingdom was the third-largest in terms of exports as the fourth-largest in terms of imports,” he said, stressing that trade between the two countries surpassed the $2 billion mark following the covid-19 pandemic.
In August, the president of the National Federation of Mills, Moulay Abdelkader ALaoui, said the North African country had secured wheat resources that could cover a period of four to five months.
The stockpile will be improved through the import of 25 million quintals of wheat from the period of July to September 30.
Read also: Morocco’s Wheat and Barley Production Set to Surge After Lengthy Drought
Alaoui also encouraged importing Russian wheat, stressing that the reopening doors for the market will contribute to strengthening Morocco’s position as well as diversifying its sources in terms of wheat imports.
Morocco exited the Russian market in February 2022 following the start of the Ukrainian war, he told state media SNRTNews.
Like many countries across the world, Morocco has been impacted by adverse weather conditions caused by dry seasons in the past recent years.
Due to drought and lack of rainfall, Morocco’s final production of its main cereals dropped to 34 million quintals in the 2022 agricultural season, a decrease of 67% compared to the previous campaign.
