August 27, 2024

Kazakhstan imposes wheat import ban to protect domestic market

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture announced a ban on wheat imports into Kazakhstan, which applies to all countries, including members of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia), The Times of Central Asia reported.

Effective from August 21 to December 31, 2024, the restriction does not impact the transit of wheat through Kazakhstan's territory.

The ministry stated that the decision was made to safeguard the domestic market. In the first half of 2024, Kazakhstan imported 1.3 million tonnes of wheat, nearly matching the total volume imported during the entire year of 2023. The ministry emphasised that the country has sufficient wheat remaining from the previous year's harvest.

As of July 1, 2024, Kazakhstan's wheat reserves stood at 5.1 million tonnes, with 4 million tonnes allocated for food purposes.

The ministry also pointed to favourable weather conditions during the current growing season, which are expected to result in a strong grain harvest. This would add to the existing supply on the domestic market, potentially leading to an oversupply of grain due to carryover stocks.

Kazakhstan's total grain cultivation area this year spans 16.7 million hectares. In terms of wheat production, the country ranks 14th globally, producing more than 12 million tons annually.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Kazakhstan's wheat production in 2023 was 12.1 million tonnes. Wheat exports for the 2023/24 marketing year (July/June) are projected to reach 9 million tonnes.

-      The Times of Central Asia