April 17, 2006

Kazakhstan's wheat sales to China to hit a million tonnes in 3-4 years

Kazakhstan expects to be exporting one million tonnes of wheat a year to China in three-four years, the press office of the Agriculture Ministry said Friday (Apr 14), quoting Arman Evniev, head of the ministry's farming department.

Evniev is quoted as saying: "Within a short time Chinese officials are coming to Kazakhstan to assess our export potential, and I think within the next three-four years we'll be exporting one million tonnes of wheat every year to China."

Evniev also said Kazakhstan was developing the Caspian grain export route via Baku and the Georgian Black sea port Poti for export to the Mediterranean, Western Europe and North Africa. The Kazakh government's grain purchasing agent, Prodcorporation, was planning to build a new grain export terminal in Poti, Evniev said.

The ministry forecasts this year's grain harvest at 14 million-14.5 million tonnes, compared with 13.5 million tonnes in 2005.

Grain exports in the 2006/07 marketing year are expected to be 5 million tonnes.