Russia scraps tariff quota on unmilled rice exports outside the EAEU
The Russian government has cancelled the tariff quota that capped exports of unmilled (paddy) rice to countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union. The 2026 quota had limited such shipments to 200,000 tonnes, with a 50% duty above the ceiling. Exporters can now ship raw rice without quantitative limits or duty.
Government removes the quota on unmilled rice
The Russian government has cancelled the tariff quota that limited exports of unmilled (paddy) rice, known as raw rice, to countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The decree was published on the official portal of legal acts and reported on July 17 by TASS, Interfax and Vedomosti, among other outlets.
The measure ends the system of single-use export licenses for shipments of raw rice to non-EAEU destinations, according to Lenta.ru and MK.ru. TASS reported that the decree also assigned related tasks to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (Minpromtorg). MK.ru noted that the quota had been part of the broader restrictions on grain exports.
The reversal comes roughly six months after the quota took effect. The published decree sets out the cancellation itself; the cited sources do not detail an official rationale for the change.
What the quota required
Introduced from January 1, the quota capped 2026 shipments of raw rice at 200,000 tonnes. Within that volume the export duty was set at zero, while shipments above the limit faced a duty equal to 50% of the product's customs value, Lenta.ru and MK.ru reported. With the quota lifted, exporters may now send paddy rice to external markets without quantitative limits and without paying the duty.
- 2026 quota volume: 200,000 tonnes
- In-quota export duty: 0%
- Above-quota duty: 50% of customs value
MK.ru said the change should simplify supplies to foreign markets, since exporters are no longer bound by the ceiling or the tariff.
Trade context and outlook
Russia is a comparatively small rice exporter, and raw paddy typically moves to buyers that operate their own milling capacity. Removing the cap gives traders more room to place surplus volumes abroad, while trade within the EAEU was not covered by the measure.
Longer-term projections point to gradual growth. The OECD and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expect Russian rice exports to rise to 283,000 tonnes by 2035, according to figures cited by Lenta.ru. The same forecast sees Russian wheat exports reaching 60.15 million tonnes over the next decade and maize shipments increasing to 4.9 million tonnes by 2035, underlining the country's expanding role across grain markets.
