Humid weather a threat to Kazakhstan’s grain harvesting campaign

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Kazakhstan is facing hardships harvesting grain, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing the country’s Agriculture Minister Asylzhan Mamytbekov as saying. “The harvesting campaign is going to be hard. The humid weather (…) the grain is late to ripen due to the lack of sunlight”, the Minister said. According to him, the humidity has a negative impact on the harvesting campaign. “There is no forecast. We are warning grain producers they might need drying equipment”. He also elaborated that prices for grain in the global market have been steadily declining. “Should the harvest be abundant, the downward trend will be upheld, with prices for bread and flour going down”. In the current agricultural year Kazakhstan hopes to reap 15 million tons of grain in net weight, tengrinews.kz reported earlier, citing Dauren Makhazhanov, Vice Chairman of the KazAgro National Company Board. In 2012 Kazakhstan’s grain harvest amounted to 14.7 million tonnes. According to the State Agency for Statistics, grain production in Kazakhstan in 2011 totaled 26.9 million tons (net weight), with exports potential standing at 15 million tons. The 2010 grain harvest figure totaled 12.2 million tons (net weight). Grain harvest of 2009 made up 22.7 million tons (bunker weight).

Kazakhstan is facing hardships harvesting grain, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing the country’s Agriculture Minister Asylzhan Mamytbekov as saying. “The harvesting campaign is going to be hard. The humid weather (…) the grain is late to ripen due to the lack of sunlight”, the Minister said. According to him, the humidity has a negative impact on the harvesting campaign. “There is no forecast. We are warning grain producers they might need drying equipment”. He also elaborated that prices for grain in the global market have been steadily declining. “Should the harvest be abundant, the downward trend will be upheld, with prices for bread and flour going down”. In the current agricultural year Kazakhstan hopes to reap 15 million tons of grain in net weight, tengrinews.kz reported earlier, citing Dauren Makhazhanov, Vice Chairman of the KazAgro National Company Board. In 2012 Kazakhstan’s grain harvest amounted to 14.7 million tonnes. According to the State Agency for Statistics, grain production in Kazakhstan in 2011 totaled 26.9 million tons (net weight), with exports potential standing at 15 million tons. The 2010 grain harvest figure totaled 12.2 million tons (net weight). Grain harvest of 2009 made up 22.7 million tons (bunker weight).

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