Russian meal exports to China Hit Record High in 2026

• Record exports: Russian plant meal shipments to China exceeded 0.6 million tonnes in Jan–Apr 2026, up 78% year-on-year.
• Product mix growth: Sunflower meal exports rose to 0.2 million tonnes (+33%), while soybean meal exports jumped 9.1-fold to 0.03 million tonnes.
• Competitive boost: Canadian canola shipment delays and Russia’s record rapeseed harvest allowed Russian suppliers to expand market share.
• Outlook: Market impact is neutral to slightly bullish for Russian meal exports, with further potential in flaxseed meal and cake.

Russian Plant Meal Exports to China: Market Update

Russian plant meal exports to China reached an all-time high in the first four months of 2026, with total shipments exceeding 0.6 million tonnes, a 78% increase versus January–April 2025. The acceleration underscores Russia’s growing role in supplying protein meals to the Chinese feed market.

The export surge was supported by constrained Canadian canola and canola meal shipments to China early in the year, opening space for Russian suppliers to strengthen their foothold. At the same time, Russia’s record rapeseed harvest kept crushing facilities running at high utilization across both western and eastern regions, ensuring stable meal availability.

Sunflower meal exports to China rose to 0.2 million tonnes, up 33% year-on-year, confirming China as one of the core outlets for Russian meal. Soybean meal exports showed even stronger relative growth: volumes reached 0.03 million tonnes, a 9.1-fold increase driven by improved access to raw soybeans for Russian processors.

Beyond these segments, Agroexport analysts highlight additional upside in flaxseed meal and cake, where domestic Russian production capacity continues to expand and could translate into higher export flows to Asian markets, including China.

Numerical Summary of Export Growth

Market Analysis and Freight Implications

The current market impact is assessed as neutral to slightly bullish for Russian meal exports. Russia’s ability to diversify across rapeseed, sunflower, and soybean meals enhances its status as a reliable alternative supplier in Asia, particularly during periods when traditional exporters like Canada face logistical bottlenecks.

For freight markets, sustained high-volume flows on the Russia–China corridor are likely to support vessel demand along Far Eastern export routes. However, traders and shipowners should closely track the timing and scale of any recovery in Canadian exports, as renewed competition could cap Russian price gains and weigh on volumes in subsequent quarters.

Source: Market Data