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Afghanistan became the largest importer of flour from Russia in 2024, doubling its purchases compared to the previous year. This is reported by the Russian state agency for the export of agricultural products Agroexport, Reuters reports .
This increase in exports was made possible by the insufficient production capacity of Afghanistan, which cannot fully meet domestic demand for flour. According to preliminary estimates by Agroexport, last year Afghanistan imported almost $80 million worth of Russian flour, which is twice as much as in 2023.
In 2024, Russia’s total flour exports reached $300 million. This is up 3% in monetary terms and 7% in volume compared to the previous year. China and Turkmenistan were also among the three largest buyers of Russian flour.
The strengthening of trade ties between Russia and Afghanistan comes amid Moscow’s political rapprochement with the Taliban government. Last month, the Russian parliament passed a law that could help remove the Taliban from the list of terrorist organisations.
These steps indicate the Kremlin’s desire to expand its influence in the region through economic cooperation. Exports of agricultural products, particularly flour, have become an important tool for strengthening Russia’s position in Afghanistan.
