Russia’s agricultural exports to Mongolia rise 2.3-fold as trade pact takes effect
Russia shipped more than 260,000 tonnes of agricultural products worth over $145 million to Mongolia in the first half of 2026. A temporary EAEU–Mongolia agreement that took effect on July 22 will reduce or remove import duties across a broad product range.
Shipments more than double in the first half
Russia exported more than 260,000 tonnes of agricultural products to Mongolia in the first half of 2026, according to the federal Agroexport centre. Shipment volume was 2.3 times the level recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, while export revenue increased 1.3-fold to more than $145 million.
The difference between growth in volume and revenue indicates that the expansion was led partly by relatively lower-value bulk commodities. Wheat was the largest product by value, generating $28 million. Flour-based confectionery products accounted for about $14 million, while pork meat and edible offal contributed more than $11 million.
Temporary agreement lowers market barriers
The temporary trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Mongolia entered into force on July 22, 2026, after the parties completed the required ratification procedures. The document, signed in Minsk on June 27, 2025, is the first stage in creating a preferential trade regime. Its initial term is three years, with the possibility of an extension for another three years.
AK&M, citing Agroexport, reported that Russian suppliers will receive improved access through lower or fully abolished Mongolian import duties on a broad list of goods. The most significant agricultural benefits are expected for dairy, pork, poultry, grain, vegetable oil, confectionery and beverage producers. These sectors can compete with a smaller tariff burden, although the commercial effect will depend on logistics, compliance costs and the demand available in Mongolia.
Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development previously estimated that preferential treatment would cover 90% of mutual trade between Russia and Mongolia. It said 89% of Russian exports, including food, fertilizer, polymer products, certain ferrous metals and motor vehicles, would enter Mongolia duty-free. For goods included in the agreement, Mongolia’s average tariff is expected to fall from 6% to 0.2%, potentially saving Russian businesses up to 8 billion rubles annually.
Exclusions, quotas and origin rules remain
The agreement does not provide complete trade liberalisation. Existing tariffs remain unchanged for most live animals, beef, fish and seafood, vegetables, a significant share of fruit, coffee, green tea, food extracts and additives, and several processed meat products. Suppliers in these categories therefore receive no immediate tariff advantage from the arrangement.
Preferential rates are available only when exporters meet the agreement’s conditions, including proof-of-origin requirements and other rules of the preferential regime. Where tariff quotas apply, reduced rates are limited to the agreed shipment volumes. For Russian processors and traders, documentation and quota management will consequently be as important as the headline tariff reductions. The strong growth already recorded in wheat, confectionery and pork shows that the corridor was expanding before the agreement took effect; the next test is whether broader duty relief can convert that momentum into sustained, higher-value sales.
