We can do without foie gras and luxury cars: President Nazarbayev

On his working trip to Akmolinsk oblast, a major grain belt, when meeting farmers today, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has suggested rejecting foie gras and luxury cars for a while, a Tengrinews.kz journalist reports.

When talking to farmers, Head of State emphasized that they are the main daily breaders for the nation at this economically tough time. “The most important thing is that we have enough food to sustain ourselves. We have enough clothes, a shelter above the head, fossil fuel to heat the houses. We have enough essentials (…) all these components enable us to live and work calmly”, he said.

“Other things, say, Western clothes (…) one can do without them (…) without foie gras, bananas (…) the latter might be even harmful”, joked the President. “We can do without luxury SUVs. Kazakhstan does have plenty of essential things”.

“The harvesting campaign is nearing its end (…) The overall situation is pretty favorable. We are going to have an abundant harvest, sufficient revenues from grain sales, a good mood”, he summed up.

 Earlier Tengrinews.kz reported, citing the country’s Agriculture Minister Assylzhan Mamytbekov, that for the 2013-2014 marketing year Kazakhstan had exported 8.7 million tons of grain, including grain equivalent of flour (6 million tons of grain and 1.9 million tons of flour), 22% up against the preceding marketing year.

The 2014 grain harvest in Kazakhstan was estimated at 17 million tons. In 2013 and 2012 the country harvested 18.9 and 17.7 million tons of grain respectively. In 2011 the figure made up whopping 26.9 million tons (net weight), with exports potential standing at 15 million tons.