Russia’s area planted to its five major crops has expanded 23 percent since 2012. Soybeans have gained the most over the past decade, absorbing 37 percent of the overall increase. That crop overtook corn in terms of area harvested last year. A large reason for this is the rapidly growing demand in China. Soybeans have a longer history of production in the Far East of Russia, but they have been expanding in the European part.

Some contend that at 4.3 MMT, Russia is the largest producer of non-GM soybeans. China would seem to be a less profitable market than some other countries for that variety. The irony is that three herbicides, bentazone, imazamox and imazethapyr, are trending higher in use due to Russia’s soybean expansio...