March 5, 2004

Azerbaijan To Import 600,000MT Kazakhstan Grain

Azerbaijan's total grain imports from Kazakhstan in the current marketing year will be 600,000 metric tons, Kazakhstan's agriculture ministry announced on its Web site Thursday.
 
Quoting Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov, the agriculture ministry said 109,000 tons of grain had been already supplied by Kazakhstan, with another 300,000 tons to be delivered before the beginning of May, and the remainder to be delivered before the marketing year ends in July.
 
Abbasov said the agreement was made by the presidents of the two countries, and deliveries would be carried out in full even if Kazakhstan imposed curbs on grain exports to prevent grain shortages on its domestic market.
 
Azerbaijan's annual grain requirement is three million tons.
 
In 2003, due to bad weather conditions, instead of the planned 2.3 million tons, Azerbaijan harvested only 1.9 million tons of grain, Abbasov said. He added that Azerbaijan was importing grain from Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine to make up the shortfall.