Moscow, Apr 6 (IANS): Russia will be more prudent this year in exporting food, especially to countries that are pursuing a hostile policy towards Russia, President Vladimir Putin said.

"This year, against the backdrop of a global food shortage, we will have to be more prudent in our food supplies abroad, namely, to carefully monitor the parameters of such exports to countries that are clearly hostile towards us," Putin added on Tuesday at a meeting to support the country's agricultural sector.

At the same time, he said the "increased production volumes make it possible to ensure food prices in Russia are lower than on the world market," Xinhua news agency reported.

Food self-sufficiency is Russia's competitive advantage and the country must protect its people from price fluctuations in the global food market, the Russian President added.

Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter. During the last agricultural year that ended on June 30, 2021, Russia exported 49 million tons of grain, including 38.4 million tons of wheat, Interfax news agency reported.