Russian, Turkish agriculture ministries sign memorandum of understanding on fertilizer supplies

MOSCOW. Sept 9 (Interfax) - Russia's Agriculture Ministry and Turkey's Agriculture and Forestry Ministry have signed a memorandum of understanding on mineral fertilizer supplies.

The document is intended to add momentum to cooperation and set the stage for further increasing exports of Russian products, the Russian ministry said after talks in Moscow between Deputy Agriculture Minister Maxim Markovich and Turkish Deputy Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ahmet Bagci.

Russian mineral fertilizer exports to Turkey remain one of the key areas of bilateral cooperation. Russian exports to the country nearly doubled in 2025 and included compound, nitrogen and potash fertilizers. The countries are interested in further developing trade, the press release said.

Trade in agribusiness products between the two countries rose by almost 30% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, with Russian exports jumping more than 40% and imports from Turkey increasing by over 10%, the ministry said. This followed a 5.5% increase in bilateral agribusiness trade in 2025, when Russian exports rose 9%. Russia's biggest agricultural exports to Turkey are grain and oilseeds, while the main imports from Turkey are peaches, sweet and sour cherries, apricots and citrus fruit.

"We see broad prospects for further growth of trade and are prepared to increase exports of Russian products to the Turkish market," Markovich said in the press release.