Kazakhstan to allocate $34 million to subsidize grain exports via Russia

Kazakhstan allocates $34 million in 2011 to subsidize transportation across Russia of 2.5 million tons of export grain, Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev announced September 13. “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. According to him, the money will go “to partly cover transportation costs [$40 per tons] for 2.5 million tons across Russia”. Besides, $11.5 will be allocate grain from grain storages from the major grain growing regions to other regions. Sky-high grain harvest estimate stands at about 22 million tons as of the end of July, Agrosektor.kz reported earlier, citing the Kazakhstan’s Research Institute for Environmental and Climate Studies. Agriculture Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov had told a briefing August 17 2011 that grain harvest in Kazakhstan would make up 18.9 million tons. 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).