KAZAKHSTAN GRAIN EXPORTS REACH 4.8 MILLION TONS
Astana, March 4th: To date, Kazakhstan has exported 4.8 million tons of grain from the 2009 harvest. This figure represents an increase of 1 million tons compared to the previous year’s export volume, said Akylbek Kurishbaev, Minister of Agriculture on March 2nd.
According to the Minister, Kazakhstan exported grain to Iran, Afghanistan and other countries in the Middle East: "Our grain is competitive, and we will continue to increase exports" he said.
Wheat is by far the country’s most important agricultural commodity and Kazakhstan is among the world’s top 5 exporters.
The modernization of harvesting techniques and the introduction of systematic quality controls for the wheat produced have enabled Kazakh wheat to meet standards set by the European Union and the WTO.
International experts consider that Kazakh wheat could feed up to a billion people, thus demonstrating that there is much more to Kazakhstan than oil reserves.
AGRICULTURE IN KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan has enormous potential for further agricultural development if conditions are favourable (availability of investments, introduction of advanced technologies, etc.).
Good conditions have already been created to attract domestic and foreign investors into the sector.
The Kazakh government has developed the legal bases regulating development and operation, and has launched a system of State support (including financial and insurance infrastructures).
Among the foreign companies already investing in Kazakh agriculture are Dutch Glencore Grain BV and American Cargill – both of which have established joint ventures with Kazakh producers.
Since gaining independence in 1991, the farming activity of Kazakhstan has been totally transformed from collective farms in the era of the Soviet Union to 100,000 private farms, which have undergone rapid development in the last fifteen years. Agriculture is key for the Kazakh economy with 47.2% of the country’s total population living in rural areas.
Kazakhstan’s diverse climatic conditions permit the cultivation of crops that thrive in moderate temperature zones as well as the development of stockbreeding.
The sector has the following characteristics:
- Total area of land designated for agricultural use makes up 222.6 million hectares [24 million hectares (10.8%) are in tillage, 5 million hectares (2.2%) are for haymaking and 189 million hectares (85%) are pasturelands]
- The rural population of Kazakhstan stands at 7.3 million people.
- Horizontal and altitude ‘zonality’ of soil continuum and vegetative cover is pronounced. 10% of all land is located in forest-steppe zone and steppe zone, about 60% is in semi-desert and desert zones and about 5% is in mountainous areas;
- All agricultural land enjoys low annual rainfall – 150-320 mm;
- Lack of access tо Sea significantly hinders access to external markets;
- Northern regions specialize in grain crops and livestock breading; southern regions – where irrigation play a significant role – boast greater diversification of cultivated crops (grain crops, oil-bearing crops, fruit, vegetables, cotton);
- Cotton also stands for a large share in overall agro-export (15%)
- Livestock breading is a Kazakh tradition - 90% of all livestock is in private hands.
