Chinese grain exports to Russia from Manzhouli, in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, hit 12,000 tonnes in the first seven months of the year, up 26.5 percent from the same period last year, customs statistics show.

The value of the grain exports during the period rose to 3.58 million U.S. dollars during the period, up 110 percent from a year earlier.

The increase in grain exports to Russia has been driven by the drop in Russian grain output after the country was hit by drought from May.