Russia pushes BRICS food security agenda with joint grain reserves and UAE fertiliser deal
Primary region BRICS
Tags Policy · Political economy · Diplomacy
Regions BRICS
Russia's Security Council deputy secretary Alexander Maslennikov on April 13, 2026 called for joint BRICS food reserves to counter Middle East crisis risks. Separately, Russia and UAE discussed boosting fertiliser supplies and jointly developing a BRICS grain exchange on April 29. The proposed BRICS Grain Exchange would cover an estimated 44% of global wheat trade if realized. Russia framed food security cooperation as essential with 'friendly countries' amid Middle East instability. The initiative builds on the BRICS Grain Exchange concept acknowledged in the 2025 Rio Declaration. The moves come as the Iran war disrupts global energy and food supply chains.
Strategic interpretation
Russia's food security push within BRICS serves dual purposes: it addresses genuine supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by the Iran war while creating alternative trade structures that reduce Western sanctions leverage. The UAE fertiliser deal and grain exchange concept, if implemented, would create BRICS-controlled commodity trading infrastructure that bypasses Western-dominated markets. This represents a long-term strategic play to build economic resilience against sanctions pressure.