Russia can seriously increase its grain supply to Lebanon - economist

For many years, Russia has remained a significant supplier of grain to Lebanon, but since 2019 the situation has changed. This was announced to the correspondent by the news agency on August 5 by Olga Lebedinskaya, associate professor of economics at REU named after G.V. Plekhanova. The situation has changed since 2019, when cereal exports decreased by 60.08% (from $258 million to 103), and exports of flour and cereal products by 52.06%. For the 1st quarter of 2020, Russia delivered cereals to Lebanon for only $4.7 million (for comparison, for the same period of 2019, cereal exports amounted to $49.9 million), Lebedinskaya noted. Until recently, Russia's interests were focused on energy (primarily gas reserves opened on the Mediterranean shelf), the production of which NOVATEK has already signed a contract. Collaborates with Lebanon and Rosneft. However, as Lebedinskaya emphasized, it can be assumed that if necessary, Russia will be ready to carry out grain supplies to Lebanon. Recall, as reported by the news agency, earlier Lebedinskaya explained that Lebanon imports up to 80% of food consumed.