Kazakhstan squeezes Russian grain traders

Russian grain traders fear competitors from Kazakhstan with its record high harvest, RBK writes. Kazakhstan government is subsidizing railroad transportation via Russia to the Mediterranean Sea markets. The number of grain-carriers is expected to be doubled. “This escalates competition of Russian grain market players with Kazakhstan,” Executive Director of Sovecon analytical center Andrey Sizov said. The number of grain-carriers will be increased through renting them from Russian transportation companies. “We are nigotiating transfers of grain-carriers that are in huge deficiency during export of bumper harvests,” Sizov said. Earlier Tengrinews.kz English reported that Kazakhstan Agriculture Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov said that Kazakhstan is planning to export 1 million tons of grain a month this season.