Russia’s agricultural exports will grow by at least 10% this year, despite being barred from selling to “unfriendly countries”, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported early on Wednesday.

“The closure of trade relations with unfriendly countries did not stop agricultural exports, we increased supplies both in rouble and in physical terms,” RIA cited Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko as saying.

“Unfriendly countries” is how Moscow terms those governments that have imposed sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

Abramchenko said that in 2022 agricultural exports exceeded $41.5 billion and were 12% higher than a year earlier. When asked whether a growth of more than 10% is possible this year Abramchenko said “yes,” RIA reported.

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s top agricultural producers, and are major players in the markets for wheat, barley, maize, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed and sunflower oil. Russia is also dominant in the fertiliser market.