Russia has expressed interests to sell wheat to Bangladesh and enhance bilateral trade relations, said the food ministry today.

Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Mantytsky shared the information during a courtesy call on Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder at the latter's office, according to a press release.

At the meeting, both discussed issues including the export of wheat from Russia, a source of the grain for public and private sectors of Bangladesh.

The Directorate General (DG) of Food signed contracts with Russia to import 3 lakh tonnes of wheat at $313 per tonne in the first half of the fiscal year 2023-24, said a senior official of the food office.

So far, Russia has shipped 1.5 lakh tonnes of the grain and the rest is expected to arrive in February, the official added.

Out of the 6.79 lakh tonnes of wheat imported by the DG of Food in 2022-23, it bought 5 lakh tonnes from Russia.

Between July 1 and January 17 in FY24, the public sector's wheat import stood at 2.61 lakh tonnes, according to food ministry data.