February 19, 2014

Kazakhstan exported 5.023 million tonnes of wheat last year, a drop of 32% compared to 2012, according to the country's Statistics Agency.

In monetary terms, the wheat export last year amounted to US$1.235 billion, a 21.9% decrease on-year. In 2013 Kazakhstan also exported 1.859 million tonnes of wheat and rye flour (16.2% down) worth US$575 million (4.3% down).

Kazakhstan, one of the world's largest grain exporters, harvested 14.5 million tonnes of wheat in 2013 versus 2012's harvest of 12.8 million tonnes. In 2011 the country saw a record high grain harvest at almost 27 million tonnes.

Meyrzhan Maykenov, deputy chairman of Kazakhstan's National Agency for Export and Investment Kaznex Invest, said that China may become one of the major sales markets for Kazakh grain in the future.

In his words, a test batch of Kazakh grain was delivered to China in December 2013, though negotiations on Kazakh grain exports to China had been conducted since long ago. The problem was due to China's strict conditions for packaging and transportation of grain from other countries, as well the sanitary and epidemiological requirements. In addition, China supports its producers by imposing quotas for foreign grain supplies.

Agreement on the supply of flour and grain from Kazakhstan to China was reached at the meetings of the leaders of the two countries in April and September 2013.

The Food Corporation of Kazakhstan exported around 10,000 tonnes of wheat to China in December 2013.