Russia exported soybean oil to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries worth nearly $290 million in 2025, up 11% from 2024, the Agroexport federal center said, citing expert estimates.

This region accounted for 43% of the export revenue from supplies of Russian soybean oil abroad.

The top five buyers included Algeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel.

“The MENA countries are large and growing markets with a high need for imports of vegetable oils, including soybean oil. Given the increase in soybean production and processing in Russia in recent years, we are actively increasing exports of soybean oil and consider the MENA macro-region as one of the promising directions,” the head of Agroexport, Ilya Ilyushin, told journalists on the sidelines of the Gulfood2026 exhibition, which opened in Dubai on Monday.

Gulfood is the world’s largest specialized exhibition of food, beverages, hotel and restaurant equipment and culinary products. The exhibition is held annually.
Source: Interfax