Kazakhstan already harvested 90% of grain

Kazakhstan has harvested 90% of grain, with the bunker weight of grain reaching 24 million tons, Press Service of the Agriculture Ministry reports. “Average yield stands at 15.5 metric centers per hectare”, according to the statement. The total area under grain stands at 16.2 million hectares, with wheat making up 13.8 million hectares. Kazakhstan may harvest up to 25 million tons of grain [in bunker weight], Evgeniy Aman, Executive Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, told journalists September 22. Plans are there to export over 10 million tons of grain. Tengrinews.kz had cited Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev September 13, that the Government had allocated $34 million in 2011 to subsidize transportation across Russia of 2.5 million tons of export grain. “There are plans to promote Kazakhstan’s grain to international markets [as grain storages are not capable of accommodating the anticipated bumper harvest this year]”, the Minister said at the time. According to the Agriculture Ministry stats, Kazakhstan exported 5.9 million tons of grain in the 2010-2011 marketing year. This figure included grain equivalent of exported flour (2.5 million tons). The grain was traditionally exported to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. According to the Government’s web-site, grain harvest in 2010 totaled 12.2 million tons (net weight). Grain harvest of 2009 made up 22.7 million tons (bunker weight).