Union: Freight ban, payment issues limit Russian grain exports

MOSCOW, Jun 9 (PRIME) -- Russia's grain exports are artificially limited by freight prohibition in the international ports and issues with the payments, Director of the Russian Union of Grain Exporters Eduard Zernin said on Thursday.

"A tender in Egypt demonstrated that in spite of all assurances that there are no restrictions on ship provision, Egypt could not find freight for Russian grain. We must provide fleet for all three lots that Russia has won, unlike the rest of the states," Zernin said.

He said that some jurisdictions are forbidden to enter the Russian ports, which also limits the shipments.

According to Zernin, the settlement troubles are also important.

"I do not meet only in Moscow, I travel to different countries, talk to our main clients. They say frankly that the credit lines to purchase Russian grain are frozen, frozen in third banks which were the main clearing intermediaries for the organization of payments", he said, adding that many small business exporters, accounting for 30% of Russian exports, left the business.

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