April 24, 2007
Kazakhstan grain exports seen at 7 million tonnes in 2007/2008
Kazakhstan's state grain trader said on Monday (April 23) the country expects to export 6 to 7 million tonnes of grain in the 2007-2008 marketing season, compared to earlier projection of 8 million tonnes in the 2006/2007 season.
Daulet Uvashev, head of the trader's external economic activities department said the anticipated decline in exports from this marketing season running from mid-calendar year to mid-year was due to an expected high supply on world markets.
Kazakhstan nearly doubled its grain exports in the 2006 calendar year to 6.2 million tonnes. The country produces mostly high quality wheat and is seeking to belong to the world's top five grain exporters.
Uvashev said the country's biggest buyers were Turkey, Iran, Egypt and Italy aside from its traditional market nations belonging to the former Soviet Union.
Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest grain producer, harvested 16.5 million tonnes of grain by clean weight last year, compared to 13.8 million tonnes in 2005. This year's harvest is expected to be 14.5 million tonnes.
The country's main grain productivity started during the Soviet Union's Virgin Lands campaign in the 1950s and 60s. Rainfall this year has so far produced favourable conditions, agriculture officials have said.