The Russian government unexpectedly banned the export of sugar from the country due to a threat to the domestic market. Russia is faced with a new food crisis. The country suddenly experienced an acute shortage of sugar. We had to urgently introduce restrictions on exports. The Russian government announced a ban on the export of sugar abroad on May 3. A ban on the export of sugar to the Russian Federation was introduced for 4 months - until August 31, 2024. Exceptions are possible only for the EAEU countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan), but with significant restrictions on volume.

Russian observer Anatoly Nesmiyan (El Murid) commented on the situation on his blog. “What about sugar? It seems that the sugar factories are not under the radar of drones. Or was it possible to replace some secret ingredient with imports? ” the expert asked. 

The Russian government cited “maintaining the stability of the domestic food market” as the reason for this step. However, the Russian authorities kept silent about what led to the sugar shortage. Most likely, what happened was the result of a breakdown in economic ties between the Russian Federation and the West and sanctions. Russian industry, having lost access to foreign technologies, is rapidly degrading. 

Russian observer Anatoly Nesmiyan (El Murid) commented on the situation on his blog . “What about sugar? It seems that the sugar factories are not under the radar of drones. Or was it possible to replace some secret ingredient with imports? ” the expert asked.