The leaders of Russia’s major grain-producing regions are moving in concert. Veniamin Kondratiev, head of the Krasnodar Territory, along with Vladimir Vladimirov, governor of Stavropol, and Vasily Golubev, governor of Rostov, reportedly requested President Vladimir Putin to authorize state oversight of grain exports. The disclosure appeared on a Russian telegraph channel and has since circulated widely. The three governors indicated their aim to ensure that grain trade aligns with national priorities rather than being dominated by foreign traders.
Kondratyev stated that the trio took the initiative to curb the portion of the agro-industrial sector controlled by foreign entities. This measure would tighten oversight on who can participate in grain trading and how much influence external companies hold over the market. The move is framed as part of a broader effort to stabilize exports and safeguard domestic food security amid global market fluctuations.
In reflection on this situation, the governors highlighted a documentary by Andrei Kondrashov titled Grain, which scrutinizes current grain export dynamics and the role of foreign firms that allegedly route grain through shadow channels. The documentary aired on the Russia-1 channel on December 17 and has become a talking point in discussions about импортной цепи and the transparency of supply chains. It includes excerpts from correspondence advocating limits on the direct and indirect participation of the three regions in the agro-industrial complex, with the aim of transferring parent companies from foreign jurisdictions to Russian-controlled entities.
Earlier reporting from RBC noted that the three regional leaders, who together cultivate the country’s largest grain output, appealed to President Putin with a specific request: cap foreign stake in the grain market at a defined threshold. The proposed limit would affect how many shares foreign actors could hold and how decisions within the supply chain are shaped. This stance signals a shift toward greater domestic stewardship of grain resources and a reorientation of export policy in a country where agriculture plays a central economic role.