When the food price spikes of 2007/8 and 2010-12 occurred, Russia responded with export restrictions on wheat that contributed to short-term panic, price transmission to importing countries, greater long-term price instability and shifting trading patterns. Russia’s actions and the subsequent impacts exposed how integrated the formerly-communist country now is and how much the global commodity market has shifted since the early 2000s. Today, Russia is the top exporter of wheat with its leverage in recipient countries growing, along with its ability to take disruptive action through agricultural and food policies. The dramatic shift in global wheat markets makes it imperative to understand the motivations and potential actions of Russian policymakers. Through an examination of Russia’s food history from 1922 to the present, the analysis reveals the enduring impulses that shape Russia’s contemporary food policy as a facet of national security and foreign policy strategy. The report ends with a brief survey of the circumstances that may impact the country’s position as the top exporter and the implications of its dominance for other major exporters and import-dependent countries.Public Affair
