Russia has no interest in extending the Black Sea grain deal, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on December 17, citing Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev. He added that to a large extent this is a political decision, but Russia will continue to export its grain, as it has its buyers. Russia withdrew in July from the deal that had allowed Ukraine to safely export grain from its Black Sea ports. Russia says it quit the deal because the arrangement was not delivering grain to the poorest countries and because it still faces barriers to its own exports of grain and fertilizer.
