September 10, 2008

Kazakhstan will not reintroduce a grain export ban in the near future, Prime Minister Karim Masimov said.

Kazakhstan, the world's sixth largest grain supplier, banned exports in April this year, after a record 8-million tonnes of wheat exited the country in 2007. The figure came close to the 9 million tonnes that the country estimates would be the limit the country can export without affecting domestic markets. The country produced 20.1 million tonnes of grain last year. 

The ban was ended September 1.

According to Masimov, Kazakhstan has taken special measures to avoid future export bans.

Following the harvest of the 2008 crop, the government plans to make purchase of grain through the state food corporation a top priority task so as to provide all regions with grain.