Russian agro-industrial holding Miratorg has sent the first full trainload of rapeseed oil to China. The batch, over 2.7 thousand tons, was purchased by Zheng Dong Corporation to supply its own enterprise in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The delivery time to the buyer was practically a record – less than three weeks, which is three times faster than the traditional sea route. The project was implemented by Miratorg with active government support and cooperation with the carrier Europack.
Why was Chengdu chosen? This province with a population of 84 million people has become the largest consumer of rapeseed oil in the country. Annual demand exceeds 500 thousand tons, which is 20% of total consumption in China. The cargo purchased from Miratorg — 2,756 tons of unrefined rapeseed oil packed in 130 containers — was sent by rail through the Zabaikalsk-Manzhouli land border crossing to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. This province with a population of 84 million people has become the largest consumer of rapeseed oil in the country.
“Russian oil is valued for its GMO-free and stable supplies, which is critically important in the context of sanctions,” says Dmitry Kurbatov, Director of International Trade at Zheng Dong.
The direct railway route not only benefits the Russian side — 2.7 thousand tons of oil will provide sales for Miratorg, but also for China — as an important step towards diversifying imports in the emerging era of trade restrictions from unfriendly countries and strengthening food security in Sichuan Province — a project in which Zheng Dong Corporation has been participating since 2024.