Русский
South Korea imported 8,200 tonnes of barley from Russia in January, up 9.3-fold compared to the figure from January 2025, according to Seoul’s customs statistics. The export value of these supplies increased from US$215,000 in January 2022 to US$2 million in January 2025.
This means that Russia is now the second-largest supplier of barley to the South Korean market. Australia is in the primary position, exporting 14,500 tonnes of the product.
Overall, Russia is one of the major suppliers of barley to the global market. According to the Agroexport federal center, Russia exported 4 million tonnes of barley in the six months from July 2025 to January 2026. The largest buyers were Iran (more than 1.8 million tonnes), Turkey (0.5 million tonnes) and Saudi Arabia (0.4 million tonnes).
There has recently been an increase in demand for barley on the global market, which supports Russian prices. Agroexport stated that “Given the high export quota in 2026—20 million tonnes total for wheat, barley, and corn compared to a zero quota for barley a year earlier—we expect that Russian exporters will be able to further increase shipments.”
Barley is a highly nutritious, versatile, and ancient cereal grain known for its chewy texture and mild, nutty flavor. Rich in soluble fiber (especially beta-glucan), protein, and minerals like magnesium, iron, and potassium, it is widely recognized for promoting heart health, managing blood sugar, aiding digestion, and supporting weight loss. In South Korea, barley is being repositioned as a healthy, functional premium ingredient, for example, in boribap, for its high beta-glucan content. Overall, in 2025 South Korea purchased 531,160 tonnes of grain products from Russia compared to 311,340 tonnes in 2024, mainly due to competitive pricing and an increasing consumer resistance to buying more expensive but similar products from Western countries.
