February 14, 2013

Kazakhstan may sell seven million tonnes grain in 2013

In 2013, Kazakhstan may export seven million tonnes of grain.

"We are estimating our potential for this year's grain export at seven million tonnes. This is a little lower than the average volume and much lower than the amount exported during last marketing year, when we exported 12.8 million tonnes," Kazakhstan Agriculture Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov said.

According to him, Kazakhstan has already exported around 3.3 million tonnes of grain since the beginning of this marketing year. He also added that there would be no big supplies of grain to Russia.

"We see that Russia is self-sufficient in terms of grain, that's why, to our regret, no big grain supplies are expected to Russia. We do not preclude some supplies, but those will be to the near-border regions. Russia is a major exporter itself. Our traditional market is to the south," the Minister added.