Russia says Afghanistan was its top flour buyer in 2024

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Afghanistan became the largest importer of Russian flour last year as it doubled purchases, Russia's state agricultural export agency, Agroexport, said late on Friday.

Afghanistan imports flour as it does not have enough production capacity to fully meet domestic demand.

The increase in imports came as Russia sought to foster ties with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers.

Last month, Moscow moved a step closer towards recognising the Taliban government, with Russia's parliament voting in favour of a law that would make it possible to remove the movement from a list of banned terrorist organisations.

Agroexport, citing preliminary estimates, said Afghanistan bought Russian flour worth almost $80 million last year, double the 2023 level.

Russia's total wheat and wheat-rye flour exports reached $300 million last year, up 3% year on year in value terms and 7% more by volume, according to the watchdog.

China and Turkmenistan were also in the top three buyers of Russian flour, it said.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin. Editing by Mark Potter)